


Dinah in the Forest

by Naphta99



Category: Bambi (1942), Bambi: Eine Lebensgeschichte aus dem Walde
Genre: Deer, F/M, Forests, Nature, Original Characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 32,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23594743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naphta99/pseuds/Naphta99
Summary: A Bambi fanfic written in the style of Felix Salten, the original author of Bambi: A Life in the Woods.Dinah is an adolescent roe deer. This short story focuses on her transition into adulthood. She falls in love, meets an old prince, learns the ways of the forest and comes face to face with Him - the mysterious and feared enemy of the forest folk.*Finally completed. It took ~8 months of ~weekly chapter additions, but it’s finally done. Awesome.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 7





	1. The Stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After months of procrastinating I’ve gone back and re-written this chapter. It was bugging me for so long, but it’s done now. Much better. Mwah!

The stranger was handsome. He was young - it was only his second Summer. His hair was sleek and fair red; his body was quite broad and strong despite his youth. He stared at Dinah wide-eyed as she stepped out of the woods.

Dinah stood very still for a moment to watch the stranger. A moment passed without a word spoken.

Then she walked to him, relaxed and smiling. “Hey there, stranger. I’m Dinah.” She tried to speak in a charming, mature voice.

The stranger’s face softened, and he walked very carefully to her. “Hi, my name‘s Ralof” he said, slightly embarrassed. “Uh-sorry, I’m, uh... I thought you were Gurdo...”

The two were now face to face. As the awkwardness faded Dinah saw his broad stance and powerful features. Yet he seemed to project an air of gentleness.

The fleeting moment of silence was broken as Dinah started to walk beside him. “I’ve never seen you around before. Are you new here?”

Ralof fell into pace beside her. “Yeah, it’s my first time here. I wandered this far to get away from some of the older bucks” he shrugged.

Dinah shot him a knowing look. “I know what you mean. They can be pretty terrible” she said with a nervous laugh.

This Summer was a lonely time for Dinah. For some reason she didn’t understand, all of the older bucks were frantic; whenever she showed her face they would chase her, desperate to grab her attention. It actually isn’t all that surprising, since she was young and quite pretty. But it was irritating to her, so she decided to avoid them altogether and stick to the rarely used trails of the forest. She was unbothered, but quite lonesome.

Dinah and Ralof walked together through the meadow. The morning sunshine bathed the land in a warm light which refreshed them tenderly. Nearby a jay was calling softly and the tall grass was swishing in the breeze. Ralof was cautiously keeping an eye on the horizon but listening to Dinah’s chatter all the while with interest.

They browsed the lush primrose in the middle of the meadow, at times side by side with their flanks nearly touching.

Dinah eyed him up. She really wanted to play with Ralof but wasn’t sure how to go about it. She considered just asking outright but didn’t want to appear childish or too forward - he seemed rather shy.

She thought she could encourage Ralof to play tag simply by leaping high into the air and running off into the long meadow grass. She did so, then glanced back and smiled at him.

“No. Wait. Hang on!” Ralof complained.

“I can’t hang on!” said Dinah with a giggle. “You’ll have to catch me!”

Ralof chased as she ran around him. “What? What are you doing? Is there danger?!” he said anxiously.

Then Dinah stopped running. She gave a warm smile which made Ralof feel a little hot-cheeked. “No” she laughed, trotting up to him playfully. “I only wanted to play with you.”

“Oh!” They both looked away and felt a little awkward for a moment. “Why don’t we play fight, instead?”

Dinah eyed up Ralof’s small antlers and felt sheepish. “I can’t fight the way you do. I don’t have antlers.” She gestured by lowering her head. “I only have hooves. It’s not the same, see?”

She reared up slightly, kicked out with a front hoof and brought it down onto the top of Ralof’s head with a very gentle ‘thud’.

“Ba-oh!” Ralof blenched back in surprise.

“Oh, oops! Are you OK?” she asked earnestly, approaching him with all the concern of a mother doe.

Ralof shook it off and looked up at Dinah with a mischievous grin. “I’ll get you for that!” he said half jokingly.

“Oh!” Dinah turned sharply to run away, laughing all the while. She was a little faster than Ralof and she ran in a wide semi-circle easily avoiding his playful assault.

He disappeared in some tall grass, quietly creeping up on her. He got very close and pounced. “Bam!” he shouted as he jumped next to her.

Dinah flinched and screamed out in play, laughing and kicking out with a hoof. Then she chased him.

They played together like that for a long while. Dinah panted with joy and stifled giggles the whole time. There are few things more enjoyable than playing tag in the meadow.


	2. The Thunder

It was nearly noon and Dinah and Ralof were still playing in the meadow. Their excitement got the better of them and they simply couldn’t resist staying out all day in the sizzling hot sun.

“The sun is getting high now.”

“So it is” replied Ralof. He was smirking confidently to himself while eating some sweet meadow shamrock, paying no attention to Dinah’s nervous tone.

At that moment a sharp clap of thunder sounded from the other side of the meadow. It shattered the peaceful atmosphere and caused a great stirring of all the nearby animals.

Dinah could see a large flock of pheasants fly skyward on the north side of the meadow, where the grass was longest.

She couldn’t see or smell any dangerous creatures, but several sharp thunders began to sound over there.

‘Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.’

A few pheasants fell from the sky and landed dead in the grass.

Dinah didn’t think. She could only whisper “Run”, and sprinted off at full speed into the forest. She could hear Ralof running right behind her, and they vaulted over the brambles and the fallen trees, through a tangled thicket and finally coming to a stop at a dry stream.

“Get away, get away!” the jay shrilled. He flew slowly but soon caught up with them. More thunder sounded from the meadow. “Get away!” he cried down as he landed on a maple branch.

“What happened out there? Over by the pheasants, with the noise. Why did they fall?” Dinah asked.

“It was He! He was in the forest!”

Dinah and Ralof momentarily glanced at each other and back to the jay who was fidgeting. They couldn’t quite understand the loud noise or how He killed the pheasants, but they knew that it was incredibly dangerous anyhow. A chill of anxiety washed over them.

They gathered their wits for a moment, observing the placid surroundings with discrimination - no danger. The thunder had stopped. Dinah and Ralof walked deeper into the forest together without speaking a word.


	3. Loneliness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited. Much better.

The sun was high; it was the time of day when deer lie down to rest. But Ralof’s dwelling place was a long walk away. And of course there was the incident on the meadow - it could still be dangerous out there. Dinah offered to share her resting place with him.

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yes. You’re my friend” said Dinah, dryly at first, but then in a more sincere manner. “It’s dangerous to be wandering around right now. Please stay.”

Ralof felt a strange flurry in his stomach and felt a little hot. He had this same feeling when he first met Dinah in the meadow. It was only a couple of hours ago and yet he recognised this feeling with a strange nostalgia.

Dinah glanced into Ralof’s eyes for only a second and saw something. It was a bright, new and exciting light in his eyes. It awoke further curiosity in her.

She was roused from her thoughts when Ralof started to walk towards her. “Alright. I’ll stay with you.”

They both felt uneasy as Dinah led Ralof to her usual place, the south side of the young oak thicket, under a little holly tree. It was nice and cool there. She curled up in her usual spot and glanced over to Ralof, who then rigidly lied down nearby.

The uneasy feeling stayed with them and made sleep come slower, but soon they were dozing.

Dinah heard movement nearby and woke. Evening was approaching now and Ralof was getting up to leave. A familiar feeling of abandonment came over her; she wanted to speak but once again couldn’t find the words. Ralof disappeared into the forest.

Dinah was forlorn for some time after that day. When the first cold winds blew through she would often cast her gaze up to the trees and eye up the falling leaves dejectedly. She hadn't seen Ralof in over a month and Winter was on its way.

Ralof left a lasting impression on Dinah, though she didn’t see it in herself. She felt this hot ache in her body and somehow couldn’t remember a time when the world felt bright and wonderful.

Her memories of a distant past filled her with grief. The time of want would be here again. Dinah was scared of Winter. But she was even more afraid of being alone.

Presently it was early morning and Dinah was browsing Autumn fruits in a small clearing. Her head was lowered in a bramble bush, trying to find the last of the season’s good food. All the while she was filled with bitterness and lost in thought.

She heard a crow fly to an oak branch overhead and caw down. “Dinah! Here I am.” Dinah looked up despairingly at the crow and then hung her head low again.

“Talk to me! Tell me the news!” the old crow shouted and hustled down to a lower branch.

“Leave me. I want to be alone, Blakida...” Dinah said piteously.

The old crow tried to be patient, but the tone only made her curious. “Talk to me, Dinah. What’s going on? You look upset.”

Dinah’s eyes began to tear up a little bit, so she turned to walk away from the crow. With a hop and a skip the crow flew down and began to trail behind Dinah, keeping quiet as she followed.

After an awkward moment the old crow could hear her crying. It was a very quiet bleating that invoked pity. She listened for only a short moment before flying closer.

“Little dearie, you are crying. Please don’t cry. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Dinah turned her head toward the old crow and through blurred vision saw a sympathetic face that made her want to cry more.

The old crow’s feathers were a little dull now and laid flat to her body. She tried to comfort her friend as best she could, stepping in close to the deer’s lolling head. If they were human she would have hugged her and stroked her hair. But forest creatures can’t do such things.

Dinah thought it was a silly thing to cry about. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry” said Dinah between sobs. “I’m just feeling so very alone.”


	4. Sweet Smile

The early frost brought with it the promise of a long Winter. Each morning seemed colder than the last and good food was quickly becoming hard to find. The songs of the robin and the finch no longer carried the same urgency and became lacklustre twittering without any real joy.

The magpies gathered in small groups and waited in obvious anticipation. The squirrels kept to themselves and continued their business.

A squirrel was pacing under an old sycamore, fidgeting with the ground here and there, then racing up the tree again and again. Randi clambered around the stem and came to rest on a large limb, still fidgeting.

Randi heard movement in the wet leaves below and twitched her head. She saw a young doe making her way through the deer trail.

The doe’s red Summer coat had faded into a dull brown, with only a hint of the warm colours that deer so love to walk around in.

“Is that you, Dinah? I’ll bet you didn’t recognise me since it’s been so long.”

Dinah looked up sharply. “Oh, of course I recognise you. I just didn’t see you up there.”

Randi climbed down right away. “No matter, no matter at all. It has been a long while after all and I’m sure you’ve been very busy as well.”

It had indeed been a long while since they last saw each other, yet Randi was already using her playful, bantering tone.

“But I am glad to see you before the Winter.” These words made Dinah shiver a little bit, and she shook her head in a futile attempt to clear her thoughts and warm up.

The drizzle that came down for hours each day had soaked the forest through. It was impossible to stay dry for long and all the woodland creatures were now wandering around wet. They all shared a common foreboding melancholy of the coming months. The leaves no longer rustled and distant noises were drowned out by the light rain. They couldn’t hear the approaching footsteps until it was very close.

A young buck stepped out from among some young ash saplings and peered across the trail, panting lightly as he did so. He saw Dinah talking to a fat little red squirrel eating some tidbits.

Dinah’s ears picked up the gentle sound of hoofbeats and she saw over by the short ash thicket was another deer around her age. He was strong but still bared the slender features of youth. His bright eyes were full of intrigue and joy, but also showed a certain tiredness. Two large velvet buttons atop his head suggested his new antlers were well on their way. He marched straight to Dinah.

She retreated a few inches but stood her ground and adopted a disapproving expression. Randi was wary and clambered up the tree to a safe branch. The buck stopped several feet from a scornful Dinah.

She said quietly “Well? What do you want?” trying to come across as calmly assertive and confident without simply insulting the other deer. He then looked right into Dinah’s eyes with a striking, impish smile.

“Hey there, stranger” he said wistfully.

His voice immediately stirred up the memory of a deer she once met out on the meadow. Without realising it Dinah let out a gasp and eased her stern gaze. She saw that sweet smile and just stood still for a moment, staring at her old friend Ralof.

Ralof gestured with his ears to follow and walked off. Dinah didn’t say a word but followed heartily. The pair walked side by side through the wet vegetation, their flanks nearly touching.

She licked him tenderly and cooed “Hey there, stranger...”

Life was beautiful again. The gentle rain that broke its way through the canopy sang whispering melodies which brought about new hope. Or so she thought to herself.

Randi watched bewildered as they walked away, holding her forepaws to her chest and fidgeting once again. “What’s the matter with them?”


	5. Close

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces some cross-over with the events of the book ‘Bambi’s Children’, the sequel to ‘Bambi’. This story is occurring alongside it in a different part of the forest.
> 
> Don’t worry if you haven’t read the books; it shouldn’t matter much.

Dinah and Ralof remained together during that Winter. The snow came and laid deep across the land and finding good food was no longer a straightforward task. The deer folk had to work hard to scrape away a thick layer of snow before they could find one withered mouthful of Winter grass.

The hardships of Winter always bring the deer folk closer together, and Dinah and Ralof would spend hours each day lying in the sun together trying to catch as much of that beautiful warmth as they could. They were hungry but it was nice just to do that together.

Dinah learned a lot about her friend; he had no siblings, but he was good friends with all the squirrels in the north woods. On more than one occasion Ralof would talk about The Old Prince, Bambi.

“Did you know?” he would say. “Prince Bambi was the youngest prince to ever receive the title.“

One time Dinah asked “Have you ever seen him?” and Ralof would put on a thoughtful expression.

“...No...” he would say indistinctly. “But I imagine he’s very wise and very kind too.”

Once Dinah noticed a small hairless patch on Ralof’s rump which seemed to be some kind of scar. She didn’t want to bring it up in conversation but she noticed he would wince ever so slightly whenever he lied down in the snow.

Ralof also looked a little ragged - not as sleek and well kept as he was last Summer. It was clear the last few months hadn’t been kind to him, but a little grooming and tender-loving-care from Dinah seemed to make a world of difference.

Ralof really was soft-hearted. Some may call him timid, but Dinah liked him all the more for it. She looked at Ralof and saw only chivalry and gentleness. And when Ralof looked back into her eyes they both felt something very peculiar.

There was something mysterious about their friendship. Something withholding. And it roused curiosity.

One day Dinah was chattering away about this and that while Ralof was slowly drifting off to sleep. She could finally get a good look at him now and watch his tired, dreamy face. She also had the chance to check out his scar. It looked like a terrible puncture wound that had only recently healed.

Dinah was then distracted by a flock of birds flying overhead. They flew with urgency. She got up and peered into the woods, testing the air for any threatening scent. The silence went on.

Dinah heard a long, loud, brassy note in that direction. It was a horn. Another horn answered it in the far distance. Ralof was now wide awake. “What’s that?”

All of a sudden the entire forest was thrown into complete mayhem. Sharp thunderclaps sounded off in quick succession. ‘Bang bang bang! Boom! Bang boom bang!’ HE was in the forest again, and in great numbers. ‘Bang bang! Bang bang!’

Ralof was up and running in a flash, running to anywhere which offered some scant cover from His unholy gaze. Dinah ran with him to the thicket.

“It’s He, Ralof” she said with quiet terror.

“Yes, I know.” He was clearly concentrating, trying to pick up any alien sounds with his keen hearing. But all he could hear was the sound of thunder claps. ‘Bang! Bang! Bang bang!’ It was close, barely a hundred meters, and Ralof trembled with fear.

Pheasants were running around desperately for shelter. A lone magpie was silently eyeing up his surroundings in a bid for security. They all knew it was He.

The thunder stopped and Dinah could hear the hunters shouting in their human tongue. All the animals froze and listened, desperate to make out His dreaded footsteps.

Dinah and Ralof heard the sound of a deer running through the snow. It was approaching from the direction of the hunters. They saw the deer ducking and weaving through the thicket. It was a young buck and when he saw Dinah and Ralof he immediately changed direction and ran straight towards them.

“Come on! It’s not safe here” he said panting. Then he stopped running and gaped at them.

After a moment Dinah recognised him. “Naphta...”

Naphta looked closer at her. “Sister! And Ralof, you’re here too. We have to leave this place. Quick!” and he began to trot off.

Dinah and Ralof followed Naphta closely, bewildered, with many questions.

“You know Ralof? How do you know Ralof, brother? And where have you been?!” she snapped.

Naphta didn’t answer. He was focused on navigating them through the thicket as fast as possible, all the while trying to listen out for His advancing footsteps.

Dinah was getting irritated. “Naphta. How do you know Ralof?” she repeated.

Naphta still didn’t answer. He just glanced over at Ralof who stared back uncomfortably.


	6. Safety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features a beloved character from the books and a thickening ‘plot’ (if you can call it that). Enjoy :)

Naphta panted heavily into the frosty air. He slackened his pace to a walk and glanced back, but it was clear he was avoiding eye contact with his sister.

 _“There’s something they’re not telling me.”_ Dinah’s thoughts ran wild in her head. She looked at Ralof and then back to Naphta; they were hiding something.

Ralof stopped nearby and tried to listen out. “Stop moving, fellas” he called. They all stopped, listened and sniffed at the cold breeze - they heard no footsteps but the scent was unmistakeable; acrid and choking... this was the dreadful scent of He, and it filled them all with doom.

Dinah, Ralof and Naphta drew together and hunkered down in the snow-covered thicket, right beside a large bramble shrub. They were hidden.

The chaos in the distance went on for a long time. The metallic call of pheasants rang out continually and the crows cawed ominously. The thunder claps broke the still air and rattled Ralof to his core.

“Ralof... it’s OK. We’re safe here” Dinah whispered, and Naphta gave a slightly captious look which she noticed immediately.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Naphta’s face slowly transitioned into a slight grin. “You’re pretty close, huh?”

Ralof seemed frozen stiff and unmoving, cold and expressionless as he looked the other way.

“Y-y-yeah, we’re close” Dinah stammered.

“Looks like my little sister isn’t so little anymore” he chirped teasingly.

“Hey, I was born the same day as you! And I’ve never been littler than you, anyway.”

“...Maybe, but I’ve always been the mature one.” He was really grinning now.

Ralof was watching the last of the sun’s rays reflecting off the white snow when his ears twitched. He suddenly stood up and murmured “There’s someone coming. Over there.” The other two stopped their squabbling and stood up also, licking their noses and sniffing the air.

A low, calm voice came from the thicket. “You have good ears.” At that moment they spotted him; a stately, regal roe buck stepped out with hoofbeats that seemed to make no noise at all. Unusually he still had his antlers and it was a grand crown which only exaggerated his size. He approached serenely.

The trio said nothing. They just stood still, awestruck. Dinah could feel her heart pounding. This was the biggest roe deer she had ever seen.

“Don’t be frightened, friends. I’ve come from the west woods. You’ve done well, this place is quite safe” the regal buck said. They still couldn’t speak.

He then turned his head to look straight at Ralof, who recoiled and bowed. Ralof whispered “...Prince Bambi...” He saw Bambi smile contently and lower his head in a bow also.

Naphta seemed to regain some of his confidence and he said “Oh, Bambi. It’s... Wh-what’s going on with all the hunters?” Dinah just stared inquisitively.

“Winter comes and sometimes He gathers in very large numbers in the west and sets out to kill us all. But it looks like the killing has now stopped... Many of us have died today.”

Ralof shifted nervously on the spot. “Is it safe to leave?”

“Maybe...” Bambi then gave Ralof a warm smile. “Are you quite healed, Ralof?”

At this Dinah suddenly jerked her head to Bambi in surprise. _“He knows Ralof? How does Bambi know about his injury?..”_ She was amazed but also irked.

Ralof nodded his head discreetly. His eyes wandered to Dinah and Bambi’s eyes followed. “Hello, I am Bambi. I don’t believe we’ve met. May I ask to know your name, young lady?”

She had no more time for anxiety; she spoke without hesitation. “I am Dinah, noble prince.”

Bambi’s eyes darted between the trio. After a brief silence he continued. “Ah, you’re Naphta’s sister, yes?”

 _“He knows Naphta too?”_ she thought. Everyone could see Dinah was seething.

“I must be leaving” Bambi said at last. “There are many others who may need my help. Be cautious at all times. Stay here until nightfall.” He began to walk away but then turned to look straight at Ralof. “Good luck...” Bambi left them.

They were quiet for a long time. When night came they got up and started their journey home. Naphta followed.

They were walking through a massacre. The sight of dried blood on the snow was chilling and there was no escaping it. A lone rabbit limped around under an elder bush and muttered to himself “It’s OK... oh, no... no... it’s OK...” His leg was destroyed and bleeding profusely so that everywhere he went was stained red. He suddenly looked at the passing deer, quivered and died.

When they got back to the little oak thicket Dinah spoke up. “You told me you’d never met him before.” Dinah was serious but Ralof said nothing. He frowned slightly and sighed.

“Well?” Dinah hounded him. “How do you know Bambi?”

“It doesn’t matter” he said.

“It doesn’t matter?!”

“Yes, it doesn’t matter.”

“But why did you lie about it, Ralof? Why lie...”

He looked away with annoyance, exchanging a glance with Naphta. She saw this and lost her temper.

“And you! You know something” Dinah yelled accusingly at Naphta.

“What, no no no - I... I mean...”

“You knew where Ralof was all Autumn, didn’t you? And about his scar.”

Naphta was flustered. “Whe... Th-that’s not my place to say.”

“Well, I don’t understand why you’re keeping secrets from me. Don’t you trust me? This has been driving me crazy all-“

Ralof broke in sternly “-What does it matter?”

“It matters to me! You didn’t come back, Ralof. And you still haven’t told me why...” Dinah strained to hold back tears.

Ralof looked her in the eyes. “It’s personal. Why do you need to know?”

“It’s because I love you” she blurted out desperately.

Silence reigned for a moment until Naphta giggled out loud. “What are you smirking at, brother? she snapped.

“Nothing. I’m just happy for you...” he said still grinning.

Ralof walked closer to Dinah until their noses were nearly touching. He breathed unsteadily. “You love me?” he chuckled.

Dinah wanted to maintain the seriousness of the conversation, but found herself growing light-hearted. “Yeah, well... you love me too, don’t you?”

He came in very close and licked her cheek and her neck. “Of course I do.”

Dinah’s eyes were watering; she wanted to cry. “Then why won’t you tell me?..”

“... I was embarrassed... at...” Ralof hesitated. “But I will tell you.”

Dinah looked at him with sad eyes that melted his heart. He could feel it like a strong wave of emotion and it disarmed him. She sobbed. “I was so lonely, you know. Why didn’t you come back?....”

Naphta was now walking away still grinning to himself. He just couldn’t help it. “She loves him back. Good, I suppose it’s better this way. I’ll check up on them later; right now I’m hungry...”


	7. The Fox

No creature stirred in the forest that night. A chilly breeze blew through and more snow fell on the crusty ice. There was an odd combination of misery and quiet rejoice in the air. The passover had passed over the survivors but so many others had fallen to His dreaded thunder.

The crows didn’t call or caw. They just began their feast. Since the foxes were persecuted so fiercely they had little competition and could eat in peaceful though somber appreciation.

This wasn’t the night for talking or sharing feelings and heart-felt apologies. Dinah and Ralof lied down, cried and said very little. It was only when the first light came and dawn was near that Ralof got up to find some food.

He stretched and looked longingly at his friend. She was in the middle of deep sleep and didn’t seem to hear him leaving. Her grey Winter pelage still had a hint of red that reminded him of Spring. Her ears were laid flat against her slender neck. Her forelegs were splayed out gracefully in front. “ _ Oh, how beautiful _ ” Ralof thought to himself. “ _ How beautiful you have grown since Summer. I only hope that you don’t think less of me when I tell you the truth. _ ”

He crept out with no precaution. He didn’t smell the air or look around the dark thicket for danger. His ears heard nothing at all but Dinah’s shallow breathing.

Ralof wandered for only a minute before he heard a fox slinking through a nearby dogwood bush. He turned to face it - seeing only their naked red stems - and sniffed quietly.

“I know you’re there” Ralof said bitterly.

A sarcastic voice replied “Well now, don’t you have some good ears?” and a powerful-looking fox strutted into view. He leered with all the cockiness of a rooster and whipped his tail to the side as he sat down mere footsteps from the roe deer. “So, what’s up?”

Ralof swallowed an iota of anxiety and glared hard at the fox. “You know very well, you lout. You’re not welcome here.” He stamped a hoof to punctuate his point.

“Oh really? I think that young doe sleeping over there is a rather welcoming treat...” The fox sneered, his eyes locked sternly with Ralof’s. “I’ll bet I could crush her neck with no difficulty, no difficulty at all.”

Ralof let out a snicker and tossed his head in amusement “Ha! Even you’re not that stupid! She’s practically fully grown. Besides all I need to do is call out to her and she’d be up and running quicker than you can blink.”

The fox paused but retained his haughty smile. “Hmm, maybe you’re right.” He started to walk around Ralof and slowly circled him while baring his wicked teeth. “Instead, maybe I’ll just tear out your throat!” he snarled angrily.

“Heh, that’ll be the day. I’m twice your size and I’d never give you the chance. Why don’t you just go away and eat some carrion, there’s plenty about.”

The fox dropped the act and assumed a slightly more friendly tone. “Of course there is. I was only teasing...”

Ralof and the fox stared at each other obstinately. The tension was broken when the fox let out a deep, throaty chuckle. Ralof couldn’t help but smile laconically.

“I have no need for live prey” said the fox. “Yep, there’s plenty of food around for me now... And a lot of my brethren are dead too...” Sadness rattled in his throat and Ralof felt the tiniest shred of pity for the fox.

“I’d better be going. Don’t follow me” said Ralof.

“Yes.” The fox resumed his path through the dogwood, towards the stream. “Don’t you worry, I’d never be able to creep up on a sleeping deer. You lot are far too twitchy and nervous.” The fox was gone in an instant.

Ralof also went on as before. Some morsel of food must be growing nearby, he just had to find it.


	8. The Beginning of the Story

Now the sun was just below the horizon and the sky was getting bright. There were no clouds so the temperature plummeted terribly. When Ralof was hit by a freezing, dry gust he shivered for a moment and shook himself off. He knew that the worst was yet to come this Winter.

He was looking into the oak thicket where he left Dinah and going through his story. Everything that she needed to know as well as the small, unimportant details were all tumbling about in his mind, struggling to fall into order. “Well” he sighed with final decision. “I’d better go to her.” He didn’t really feel ready but he knew it couldn’t wait any longer.

He walked and very faintly heard Naphta’s shaky voice. He also heard Dinah speaking back in calm conversation. It echoed against the icy landscape and drew him closer.

As Ralof approached he could make out some of the words. “...Just listen, trust me. It’ll all make sense...” That was Naphta.

“Alright. You know, by the end of this I want to know where you’ve been too. I’ve hardly seen you since mother died.” That was Dinah, clear as day.

They then saw him and stopped. Naphta gave a weak smile and kissed his sister’s cheek. “I’ll see you later.” He then went to Ralof and in passing repeated “I’ll see you later. Good luck.”

As Naphta left Ralof just stood still. He didn’t know what to expect from her - is she angry? Upset? His worries disappeared when she went to him, smiling serenely and kindly but with a mild melancholy in her eyes.

“Ralof. Are you OK, dear?” He was trying not to cry again but she could see his emotions plainly.

“I’m fine. But you must be hungry” said Ralof, distracted by her grumbling stomach.

The sun was up and the birds had started their songs reluctantly. By now the forest was in full chorus and the accompanying daylight seemed to make everything fresher. The tits warbled with new vigour and some robins chirped quietly nearby. When a gust came all of the songs would cease at once but resume after a brief pause.

Dinah was browsing some withered sage but distracted the entire time by her thoughts. “ _What could it be? What could it possibly be that he’s so worried about it?_ ”

Ralof’s voice brought her back to the moment. He was stood quite close and spoke in a low, gentle murmur. “I’m ready to tell you.”

Dinah nearly gasped with excitement, but Ralof’s serious, distant expression reeled her in. They walked slowly together, sometimes stopping to eat, but always talking.

“I’ll start from the beginning. The day I met you was the happiest day of my life. I was lonely too, you know, and I couldn’t believe my luck - you were pretty and so gay and so very kind to me. When you invited me to stay with you that day I felt something - something wonderful and warm inside. When evening came I left... and I didn’t return.”

These words pierced Dinah to the heart. His voice was bittersweet but had a subtle tone of self-directed anger. She said nothing.

“Please understand, I loved you from the very first day. I never wanted to leave you.”


	9. I’ll Be Back Soon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve experimented with some change in perspective before but here I’m actually writing from Ralof’s point of view as he tells his story.

I woke up in an unfamiliar place, looked around and saw that it was getting dark in this strange oak thicket. Nearby another deer was curled up and sleeping soundly. I could tell she was dreaming because her eyes shifted around under closed eyelids and her leg twitched. That was you, Dinah, the pretty young doe I met earlier that day, and this was the place you led me after what happened on the meadow.

I was feeling a little hungry so got to my feet and left the thicket as quietly as I could. Before I stood up I whispered something to you, something like “I’ll be back soon”. It didn’t matter if you were asleep, I just couldn’t resist saying that out loud.

For some time I wandered around just exploring and looking for some tasty tidbits, but then I wandered further afield when I smelled some new dandelion.

I found loads of it growing in a small clearing where the sun reached the ground. The taste and the heady odour overwhelmed my senses and I scoffed at it, probably making a lot of noise.

My stomach was full when I smelled something else: an older buck. It was very close. It was too late. I heard the obnoxious, thrashing noise of snapping vegetation from the nearby thicket and somebody big came crashing out in gallop. It was Gurdo. He growled menacingly as he charged at me “There you are!”

I jumped and twisted out of the way but before knew it he was on me and he lashed out with his antlers. I knew it was a life and death struggle; Gurdo would have killed me without mercy if I stayed, so I mustered all of my strength to break out into full sprinting speed. Gurdo was right behind me and snorting angrily, his antlers huge and bloody.

At some point Gurdo must have stopped chasing me but I didn’t notice; I was so terrified I just kept on running. On and on I ran, not thinking and not stopping until my legs buckled to fatigue. I had to pant and groan just to stand, but as the rush of adrenaline disappeared I only felt more and more weak.

A sudden moment of clarity dawned on me as I felt the blood dripping down my hindquarters. It felt like a burning branch pressed against my body. I was gored and in a lot of pain.

I fell to the ground like a stone and tried to work out where I was but everything was going dark. I don’t know how long I ran for but I knew I was lost and feeling very tired. I curled up and waited for sleep, but had barely shut my eyes when I heard a voice.

“Young one, lift up your head.” It was quiet and commanding. I could hardly see.

“I’m here.” My eyes focused on the dark, shadowy area under a yew. I could barely make out the silhouette of a tall, antlered deer. I thought it was Gurdo. “Get away, you murderer.”

The voice answered bewildered “I think you have me mistaken for somebody else. Whoever did this to you is nowhere to be found.”

I was prone and at the mercy of this powerful stranger standing over me. The voice went on with “Can you hear me, my boy?”

“Y... y-yes.”

“Good. I need you to stand for me now.”

“I can’t stand. Please leave me, I need to sleep.”

The voice spoke more commanding and forceful than ever. “No. You need to stay awake. Stand now.” These words grabbed my attention and I immediately struggled to my feet, keeping my weight off of the injured leg.

There was a pool of blood beneath me and I’m still surprised I was able to stand so easily, though I staggered around. I looked closer at the stranger; his antlers were enormous and beautiful and he seemed to just radiate regality.

I think I was trembling when I said “What do I do now, sir?”, my legs wide apart and my ears lowered.

“You can call me Bambi” he said. “Just keep talking and follow me” and Bambi turned and started walking. I followed.


	10. Care

“Keep... talking?” Ralof asked as he staggered and swayed after the leading Bambi.

Bambi replied “Yes yes, tell me about your favourite plants. Or your favourite food, or colour. Tell me about your parents. Do you know your father?” He rattled off questions as if trying to hold onto Ralof’s attention all the while coursing through the deer trail.

Ralof shook his head “My father died last Winter, or so the crows told me... But I met him a few times.”

“What was he like, my boy?” said Bambi.

“He was brave and strong. He was tall and dark and so very handsome. He was...” but Ralof trailed off.

Bambi tried to encourage him to keep talking. “What about your mother?”

“She still lives, I think. Though I haven’t seen her since I left last Spring” said Ralof. “She had new fawns this year. I hope they’re all okay. She... -ooh...” Ralof seemed to swoon. He felt very faint and his vision disappeared but he managed to stay upright by leaning on something nearby.

Bambi spoke in his ear “Oh, it’s worse than I thought. The wound is deep and it’s emptying your veins too quickly. We need to act now if you’re going to survive.”

Ralof regained his senses and saw that he was actually leaning on Bambi who was supporting him with his shoulder.

“Do you hear me?” said Bambi. “You need to listen carefully and do exactly as I say.” 

Ralof’s head was thick with the fog of pain and he had to concentrate just to absorb the words. He weakly replied “Okay...” and tried standing by himself.

Once Ralof was walking again Bambi led him a short way off the trail into the heart of an unfamiliar thicket of dogwood, maple and beech.

“Lay down here” said Bambi gesturing to a patch of soft vegetation. “And listen very closely... you need to lay down with your weight over that leg. Can you try that for me?”

Ralof groaned and let his mouth fall open, but Bambi gave him a chiding look which forced him to obey. He tried folding his injured leg underneath him with an effort but winced before it even touched the ground.

Ralof moaned and whined as he wobbled about trying to stand upright again. “Ah! Oooh...”

“I’m sorry, you’ll have to bear the pain. I can’t do it for you” said Bambi as warmly as he could. He saw Ralof was beside himself with fear and agony, but he knew they were running out of time. Bambi spoke more sternly. “You must lie down. Lie down. Now! If you don’t do as I say you will die here.”

Ralof whimpered as he tried again. “Grrrhh-aaaarrghh!..” He gritted his teeth and grunted and it brought tears to his eyes.

“Your leg! On your leg!” said Bambi, all eager and excitable. “That’s it!”

“Aaa-ooow!..” Ralof wailed while scrunching his eyes. He was now lying down on the herbs, his injured leg pressed awkwardly under him. The pain lessened into a dull, throbbing ache.

Bambi was pleased and breathless from nerves. “That’s it. Well done... Catch your breath. Do you see those herbs you are laying in?”

The plants he was lying in were herbaceous with intricate, elongated leaves which resembled fern fronds. Ralof nodded.

“I need you to eat them. Not a lot, just a few mouthfuls to chew on. Go on.”

Ralof craned his neck to inspect the plants and then took some in his mouth. “Oh, it’s horrible” he said with his mouth full.

“It’s yarrow. It’s a little bitter but it should help.” Bambi watched Ralof intently and encouraged him to eat more and more. After a while he was satisfied and Bambi asked “How do you feel now?”

“I feel, um... like my head is a bit clearer...” Ralof had calmed down but was still a little faint. Without thinking he glanced right into Bambi’s eyes. They were warm amber and striking. Not striking in the sense that they were particularly beautiful or intimidating, but striking because of the warmth they seemed to project. They made Bambi look so caring and so kind. These eyes held within them the secrets to wisdom and deep character.

His thoughts were interrupted when Bambi started to walk away into the shadows. “Keep your weight on that leg. I’ll be nearby so just call if you need me.”

“Old prince” said Ralof, breathless and weary. “My name is Ralof.”

Bambi looked back to him. In the shadows Ralof couldn’t read his expression or his body language, but he knew those eyes must have been resting on him as kindly as ever. Bambi said nothing but walked silently out of sight.


	11. Two Days

“The pain made me miserable but I trusted Bambi enough not to move, not to adjust my leg even the slightest bit. Whether I liked it or not I was stuck where I was. Sometimes I would reach over and eat some more of those bitter plants just to pass the time, but in the end there was no escaping the pain and the dread and the misery.”

Ralof spoke low and sullen, staring out sourly into the deep forest. There was almost no resemblance to the usual romantic, caramel tones Dinah so loved to hear. There was so much bitterness it made her want to cry.

“Oh, Ralof.”

A long pause followed before Ralof could speak again. “I won’t go into any of the little details of that night. I’ll just say this: If it weren’t for Bambi I would have died. He saved my life.”

Dinah didn’t know what to say. “Oh, Ralof” she sighed.

Ralof laughed a tiny, embittered laugh. “I should be dead. It’s only because of him that I’m still here... and I’m shamed because of it.” He hung his head as if to emphasise the point.

Dinah blinked hard. “What? You don’t need to feel bad about that!” She was nearly shouting. “Everyone knows about The Old Prince. He’s always helping people in need.”

The Old Prince. That was one of Bambi’s names. Actually it was more of a title. Bambi wasn’t even especially old - no older than five or six years. But he was clever and famous for his bravery. Because of that he was The Old Prince, the wise leader of the deer folk.

“Ralof, there’s really nothing to be ashamed about. It’s that Gurdo” Dinah growled. “Attacking someone with their back turned... As if he owns the whole forest.”

Ralof’s eyes dropped back to the ground and he picked up his story. “I don’t know when I fell asleep but when I woke up it was nearly dawn. I was still alive and the bleeding had stopped so Bambi led me to another place. After hours of slow, painful walking we came to an old uprooted beech laying over a hollow in the ground, surrounded by shrubby oaks and beech. I didn’t leave for two days.”

“Two days...” Dinah repeated. She stared at Ralof in wonder.

“One morning I left to find food and water. I was so thirsty and so weak. When the sun came high I took shelter in a shady spot. Then I heard someone coming...”


	12. Beyond Hope?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Ralof’s story but told through a 3rd person perspective.

It was late morning and pleasantly warm. Naphta knew very well that it was dangerous to be wandering around the high forest in broad daylight. But like so many young, careless deer he wanted to frolic around for an hour or so before going to bed, like a teenager after curfew.

Naphta looked out across the sparse woods and froze. He saw a troop of tall, thin creatures walking toward him. In a minute or two they would be where he is now. “Who are they?” He looked closer...

They marched on two legs. Their other legs - their arms - carried strange sticks. Some of them were apparently speaking; grunts, hisses and whispers, it was utterly unintelligible. Their pale faces were mostly hairless and completely hideous to look at.

Hot panic shot through him like a lightning bolt and he fled into the nearby thicket. His breathing was heavy and the fear in his heart narrowed his vision. He could barely see just ahead of him was another deer blocking his path. It was Ralof, standing idly and not making any move to flee.

Naphta slowed down to swerve around him, saying in passing “He’s in the forest... Come on!” and springing away. Ralof didn’t answer; his expression was grave.

“Come on” Naphta repeated. “He’s coming! Don’t just stand there if you can run.”

They turned their ears to the sound of snapping twigs in the forest. Fear gripped at their hearts.

Naphta furrowed his brow in concentration and studied Ralof appraisingly. “ _He’s in bad shape. He’s clearly exhausted. Moreover he isn’t standing straight... Is he beyond hope?_ ”

“Just go on without me. I can’t run...” said Ralof suddenly.

Naphta wasn’t going to give up without a fight. He stepped closer and pleaded with all the passion he could muster. “Please! Come on!”

Ralof snapped to attention. Their eyes locked. Now was Naphta’s chance: Quietly but with gravity he uttered “Don’t make me leave you here.”


	13. Chapter 13

The forest echoed with the sound of distressed blackbirds. They screamed “TweetweeTWEE, tweetwee! He is here! Man is here!”

Naphta was equally panicked but didn’t run. Instead he walked while Ralof trailed right behind him.

After a while the fog that obscured Ralof’s mind lifted and he picked up his pace to a canter. It didn’t take Naphta long to realise that Ralof was limping.

Quite soon they came to rest in a secluded, entangled thicket with dense blackthorn and hazel on all sides. Only someone who knew the hidden entrance could get in without injury. It was Naphta’s place.

Naphta, Ralof and a couple of squirrels hid in the entangled thicket. Then the thunder came and the whole forest was shaken by the hunters’ onslaught. After only a half minute the thunder claps died out and the deer lay trembling in their safe place. They didn’t leave until night.


	14. Last Autumn

Autumn came. Ralof still looked scraggy, but his wound was healing fast and his strength was building. He and Naphta had been living together.

“You’re in love?..” said Naphta as he ate the shoots from some beech saplings. It was daytime and they were browsing the high forest for food.

Ralof didn’t stop eating but answered laconically. “Yep.”

Naphta hastily swallowed his mouthful and smiled wryly. “Well, you kept that secret for some time” he teased, nearly laughing.

“Yeah. I met her just before all of this. Before Gurdo” Ralof said with a mouthful of bitter yarrow.

Naphta was desperate to know more. “What’s she like? She pretty?” he asked trying not to press too much.

“Real pretty” said Ralof with a smirk.

Obvious realisation crept across Naphta’s face. “So... You’ve been here this whole time... Doesn’t she miss you?”

“I don’t know” said Ralof, not really giving it much thought. “Maybe... We only met that one time.”

Naphta rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on. Even half-starved and bleeding from your behind, you’re a catch. I’ll bet she’s been missing you since day one. How could you stay here when you’ve got a gal like that?”

A crunching of leaves came from nearby. Naphta immediately jerked his head. Ralof was already watching the approaching prince. Bambi walked with pride but raised his eyebrows in a friendly manner and beamed. “Don’t be frightened, I’m a friend of Ralof’s” said Bambi.

“Yes” said Ralof with polite deference. But he thought to himself “ _How much did he overhear?_ ”

Bambi nodded his impressive antlers in an appreciative bow and approached closer. “Ralof, you’re looking well.”

“I... I’m doing good. I’ve been staying with Naphta here.”

Naphta’s heart swelled as Bambi’s gaze brightened and rested on him. Bambi chortled. “Ho ho? You’ve been watching Ralof’s back, then?”

Naphta finally found his voice. “Oh, yes sir. He-he’s a good... a good guy...” said Naphta as he gulped down air nervously.

Bambi smiled as if an idea just occurred to him. “Do you know where the old chestnut is? The one just north of here?”

Naphta nodded.

Bambi continued excitedly “There’s a patch of tongue mushrooms growing there. I happen to know the mushrooms that grow there taste particularly good. They’re not bitter at all. And the chestnuts will be good for eating too. You boys should try them some time...”

Both Ralof and Naphta nodded avidly. Ralof wanted to say something but hesitated, unease written plainly on his face.

Then Bambi’s face became serious. He faced Ralof. “Act bravely...” In a moment he simply turned around and vanished into the trees.

Eventually Naphta broke the stunned silence. “Who was that?..”

“That was Prince Bambi” said Ralof, also mystified.

“That was Bambi? The Old Prince! He’s... he’s awesome. Scary, even...”

“It gets less scary the more you see him” said Ralof.

Naphta gave a puzzled look. “He’s not as old as I imagined. My cousin Marena, she’s got to be at least a year or two older.”

Ralof and Naphta visited the old chestnut later that day. Bambi was right about the mushrooms.

Dinah perked up. “Why didn’t you stay with The Old Prince?”

Ralof’s eyes wrinkled in disgust. “He already did so much for me. No, I was happy with Naphta. He didn’t look down on me or treat me like a sick fawn... but he did watch my back.”

Ralof smiled gingerly. “He was a good friend, Dinah. And besides, I knew right away that he was your brother. You have the same eyes - dark and overflowing with love.” Ralof’s smile became charming and easy.

Dinah was now smiling for the first time today. She blinked and stuck out her tongue in play.


	15. Act Bravely

Dinah and Ralof were now at a cold stream. The sunlight broke through the bare willow branches and made everything sparkle. The snow flashed brilliantly and made everything seem fresher and gayer.

Ralof was coming to the end of his story. “When the Autumn rains came I started to feel different. My antlers dropped but my strength returned and I knew it was time to leave...

I went to a quiet place deep in the forest, somewhere far, far away from the deer trails and the open spaces.

‘Act bravely...’ I spent hours every day thinking about those words, trying to work out what he meant. At first I just assumed he was telling me to stop being so scared or to stand up to Gurdo.

Eventually I realised what he really meant: **act bravely, go to her**.

After my epiphany I immediately made my way back to this part of the woods. Then I searched. I searched day and night. I searched in the rain. I searched and searched tirelessly. Then I found you, even more beautiful than I remembered.”

As he drank from the ice-cold water Dinah strolled around happily like a peacock. She got what she wanted and now she finally knew the truth. But there was one more thing she needed to ask.

She gave a loving look. “Why did you wait so long? Why didn’t you come back to me sooner?” She already knew the answer.

Ralof sighed somewhat exasperated. He looked at his wavering reflection in the stream and said “I wanted to be strong for you. Not a weak little kid who can’t take care of himself. Of us. I was scared that you wouldn’t love me.”

Dinah’s gaze became inviting and very flirtatious. She walked to his side and whispered in his ear, leaning into him seductively. “You know, I would have loved to take care of you...” Dinah kissed his cheek. She could feel his breathing get shallow and restrained but overwhelmed with desire. Ralof was practically blushing.

“Wow, I’m stupid” whispered Ralof. “I should have dragged myself back to you.”

Their eyes met in the reflection of the water. Dinah wouldn’t let anything come between her and Ralof ever again. She revelled in an incredible sense of security and love. She allowed herself to be completely immersed by it. Nothing could hurt her now.

Later Naphta led them all to a nice spot of acorns he found beneath a stout oak, half-buried by the thawing snow. It was the best food they’d eaten in weeks. Unfortunately it was also the best they would have for weeks to come.

Just days later a blizzard tore through the forest. Understand this: it was cold before - with the snow and the frosty breeze - but this was different. The chill was dreadful, bleak and unending in its cruelty. Snow fell on snow. Those that survived the hunters’ massacre had only to hold out against the dreaded late Winter.


	16. The Fog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s a long one but I think you’ll enjoy it.

The trio of deer stood at the edge of the meadow where the fog meets the trees. It was dawn and blue-grey all around. They could barely see the withered meadow grass just a few steps ahead. 

Ralof was a little ahead of the others, listening with all his attention and snuffing the air. “I don’t know” he said. “...There’s just something wrong.” He was restless and couldn’t shake off this weird sense of foreboding.

“Let’s go back. It’s cold here” said Dinah. “The sun will burn away the mist soon. We can come back then.”

Ralof didn’t answer. He just stood firmly as if rooted to the spot and continued snuffing the air.

Naphta pawed at the snow. After a minute he spoke up. “What if it’s He?”

“I don’t think so” said Ralof nonchalantly. “He doesn’t hunt when it’s this foggy.”

Dinah and Naphta were clearly taken aback by this, and they looked at each other dumbfounded as if to say ‘How does he know that?’

“Well... we should head back anyway. It’s cold and I’m starving hungry” said Dinah.

Ralof dropped his head in a big sigh. The mist that escaped his mouth floated away and disappeared among the looming fog. He really didn’t know what it was; he couldn’t see anything, the air tasted normal and there were no suspicious noises. It was just a feeling he had.

At that very moment they all heard something. It sounded like hooves pounding on the snowy ground. It must have come from somewhere in the meadow, concealed by the grey veil and completely out of sight.

Ralof didn’t wait but ran off into the fog. “No, wait!” Dinah and Naphta shouted but he was already gone. They ran after him into the blind meadow.

Dinah called softly to him again and again. “Ralof, Ralof... Ralof.” She become more and more panicked as they searched, calling all the while and trying to pinpoint the sound of his hooves.

“Ralof... Ralof...” Dinah’s voice became a barely audible, hoarse whisper.

Naphta’s ears suddenly twitched to attention. He took a few steps away from his sister, snuffed the air and then disappeared into the fog. Dinah could hardly speak as she tried to stop him from running off. But it was too late and now she was alone.

Dinah wandered around blindly trying to track the sound of hooves up ahead and to the side. There was no telling who was who in the heavily obscured fog so she simply stayed put and listened.

Someone was coming. She heard them approach closer and closer. Dinah snuffed the air and flinched as a big, imperious buck sauntered into sight.

The mature buck’s growing antlers were still fuzzy with velvet but sinister-looking nonetheless. His eyes leered with golden bullishness. His lips curled into a slight snarl, playful but domineering and disrespectful. He approached closer.

“Hello, dear. Ya remember me?”

“Gurdo” said Dinah with a frightened gasp. She stepped backwards and shivered out of sheer disgust.

Gurdo’s advances matched pace with Dinah’s retreat. She crept away but he trotted after her just as quickly.

“How long has it been, eh? Haven’t seen ya in over half a year” said Gurdo with barely controlled spite. “I’m surprised you recognise me.”

Dinah tried to keep the conversation casual and light. “Well, you know... People have lives, I’ve been pretty busy.” She nearly fell into a rabbit burrow and scrambled to stay on her feet. Before she knew it she was running. Dinah ran back into the woods and out of the thick fog but Gurdo was right behind her, chasing like a bully.

“Stop! Ralof! Ralof!” she bleated in panic. Dinah ran in a wide circle to avoid Gurdo, but he was relentless and chased until she was out of breath.

Dinah’s pace slackened. “Stop. Please, stop.” As Gurdo approached she had to fight to control her breathing. He leered at her with ugly cockiness and smiled an evil, slimy grin.

“Ralof!” Dinah shouted as loudly as she could manage, nearly choking from the strain. Gurdo’s ears twitched.

Hooves pounded fiercely from the meadow. In a moment Ralof came galloping at full speed out of the pale fog, followed by Naphta. They flew across the forest-scape straight toward Dinah and came bounding to a halt beside her.

Ralof came right to her side and shielded her with his body. Naphta put himself right in front of Gurdo, who backed off a step. It was a standoff.

Ralof spoke quietly in her ear. “It’s alright. You’re safe. I’m here.” He smiled, then faced Gurdo fiercely.

“Hey Ralof. Is this the guy?” said Naphta, not taking his eyes off Gurdo.

“Yeah. That’s him.” Ralof wrinkled his nose and glared powerfully.

Naphta smiled as threateningly as he could manage. “Well... Guess what, Gurdo? That means you’d better leave.” Naphta held his confidence despite facing a clearly bigger, stronger opponent.

Gurdo seemed to stand up even taller when he heard this. He raised his chin and looked sideways at Naphta. “Two princes against one? That’s hardly a fair fight” he said with a haughty laugh.

Ralof cut in roughly. “No, it’s not a fight, Gurdo. We’re telling you to leave.” Ralof felt inspired by a sincere, deep-seated rage. He also remembered the way Bambi urged him, the way he spoke compulsively and with heart. He stepped away from Dinah, looked Gurdo dead in the eye and unleashed a roar. “NOW!”

Gurdo backed off again with alarm, then stamped a hoof. “Why... Ya dare speak to me like that? To ME?!” He was beside himself with anger.

“I’m not afraid of you, Gurdo. It’s Winter, we’re still in velvet.”

Gurdo paused briefly and dropped some of his anger, but took on a far more toxic air. “That’s right, Ralof. But in Spring our antlers will harden. And when Summer comes... I’ll find you.” He finished with a breathy hiss and let his eyes wander over to Dinah.

Dinah felt the weight of his disgusting gaze. She made a move closer to Ralof.

Gurdo’s brow arched with realisation. “What? You’re with Ralof? Why... He’s a pipsqueak.”

Ralof twitched his nose and broadened his chest. He spoke low, controlled and with firm resolve. “Let’s go.” Dinah clung to his side as they walked away peacefully.

“You won’t win” said Naphta, returning Gurdo’s derision.

“Haha! How can I lose? I’m the biggest and best deer in the forest.”

Naphta just shook his head and laughed. “Come on, don’t kid yourself. You’re nothing compared to The Old Prince. And besides, Ralof has something you don’t.” Naphta grinned wickedly. “And Dinah will never, ever be with you.”

The chorus of morning songbirds chimed in agreement as Naphta trotted off.

Gurdo was left angry and with no one to argue with. He raged inwardly and snarled. “I’ll have you someday, Dinah! Someday you’ll be mine!!...”

The songbirds continued their song in spite of the raging buck below. They were joyous and splendid in their performance and didn’t stop until the sun shone brightly. Spring had finally come.


	17. Spring

Dinah nuzzled at Ralof’s neck as they made their way back to the oak thicket. She wasted no time in comforting herself for she felt she was in dire need of a hero. Ralof was her hero. She nuzzled deeper.

After a moment Naphta caught up to them in an apparently playful trot. However his voice was shaky and he laughed nervously. “Ugh. That guy’s a creep.”

Ralof simply replied “uh-huh...” without a change in expression.

“I’m surprised you’re so stony. Look at me, I’m shaking.”

Ralof gave no reply but continued walking straight through the high forest. Dinah was silent right beside him.

Naphta gave a look of faux disapproval. “How did you know about the hunters?”

“Hm?” said Ralof not understanding.

“You said He doesn’t hunt us when it’s foggy like this” said Naphta.

“Oh. I, uh... I learned that from Bambi.”

Naphta rolled his eyes in amusement. “Of course you did. Is there anything else he taught you? Did he teach you how to fly, as well?” he joked.

Ralof broke a smile. “No, but he did teach me a few... tricks.”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” said Naphta.

“Well” said Ralof with a sly grin. “He taught me a little about a lot of things. Mostly stuff about where to find good food, which plants to ignore... and observing.”

“Observing?” said Naphta, clearly confused. “What does that mean?”

“It’s... complicated. Hearing things is one thing: an owl hoots nearby and the sound is so obvious that you can’t help but hear it. But observing - really _feeling_ the forest - is a bit different.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of that rumour. So, Bambi can actually _feel_ the forest? How does it work?” asked Naphta all interested.

“I couldn’t explain it to you. You’d have to ask him yourself” said Ralof with decision.

Naphta thought hard about it for a moment. “Can you do it?”

“Not yet” said Ralof simply. He then turned his attention back to the silent Dinah and nuzzled with just as much enthusiasm.

In a few days the snow was gone. Before the sun was meek and didn’t shine with any real strength, but now when the forest creatures stood still in the daylight they felt warm. Sometimes they even felt hot.

Then the trees exploded into leaf. All about the forest became green and food offered itself zealously.

Some days brought heavy showers which often lasted for hours. At times the streams expanded in a flash flood, carrying dead branches and other forest debris to the great north river. The meadows swelled with water until they were practically marshland.

Ralof walked alone through the wet meadow. His head itched with the constant growth of his new antlers. They had an unusual curve to them but it only accentuated their remarkable size: twice as big as last year’s and still growing, forked weapons nearly ripe and ready for use.

His eyes gleamed with good health and pride. His coat relinquished the grey pelage of Winter and reddened. Ralof’s legs shuddered as he walked, muscles trembling and flexing in a brilliant display of power.

His old wound was now little more than a superficial scar; he didn’t limp, he didn’t wince and he didn’t feel ashamed.

Simply put, Ralof was doing superbly well. Pride welled up within him. He simply walked the marshy meadow in quiet self-satisfaction.


	18. Fame

Dinah spent more and more time alone now. For hours she would walk by herself and eat the tidbits growing all around. It was nice just to do that, just having some time to herself. To think without any distraction. To go about her business with glassy, unfocused eyes and wander peacefully in a forest creature’s unending quest for food.

It was late morning and suddenly getting quite hot. The willow flowers opened beautifully that Spring and the accompanying heat wave made everything seem so much like Summer.

Dinah was heading back to the oak thicket when she heard clattering. It sounded like a rock crashing against wood. Again and again she heard it. Then she heard scraping, like the sound of a stick being rubbed up and down against a tree.

It came from the oak thicket. She went toward it. Then a small voice called from above, high and exultant. “Oooh, you hear that?”

Dinah tossed her head to see a squirrel sitting on the bough of a tall pine. The squirrel called again and giggled. “You hear that, don’t you?”

Dinah didn’t respond. She just turned her attention back to the sound with ears forward.

The squirrel went on. “That’s Ralof. It’s his antlers. They’re ready.” She tried to put on a serious face but was so giddy she couldn’t help but giggle again.

“Oh” said Dinah. She hadn’t seen Ralof since last night and already she’d forgotten what his growing antlers looked like. She tried to picture it in her mind, vaguely remembering they were quite big, maybe even as big as Gurdo’s.

“That Ralof’s been causing quite a stir. They say he recovered from a deadly wound, and now there’s no trace of it! Since Winter he’s been the talk of the forest. Even some of the deer gossip about him.”

Dinah stiffened a little and her eyes went distant. The clattering came again and again. For a while Dinah and the squirrel listened to it in silence.

“What do the deer folk say about him?” Dinah finally said.

The squirrel shrugged. “Not much. Mostly questions. ‘What’s he like?’ ‘Where does he live?’ That sort of thing. Now that I think of it... A lot of girls ask after him... Lucky swine.”

Dinah felt a slight nettling of envy but tried to hide it with a cheery expression. Even so her voice was stern and slightly bitter. “What about the princes, or the birds? What do they say?”

The squirrel then got very excited. “I overheard some birds chirping about how Ralof went toe to toe with Gurdo. _Big Gurdo_. Apparently he shouted so loud.. he made Gurdo run away like a scared little bunny! Can you believe that?”

Dinah couldn’t stay moody after hearing that. “Oh, how I wish that were true” she laughed. “But can I ask a favour? Spread that rumour around the forest for me.”

The squirrel tapped her nose conspiratorially and whipped her tail. “I see. Soooo it’s not true, eh? No matter. I’ll tell everyone I know. It’ll be worth it just to see the look on Gurdo’s smug face!” And with that the squirrel scampered along the bough and jumped to another tree.

Dinah smiled childishly to herself. Maybe it was a lie, but she was more than glad to humiliate Gurdo.

The clattering caught her attention again. As she made her way into the heart of the thicket she saw Ralof. He had his head lowered and with a vigorous up and down motion he was rubbing his antlers against some young oak stems, making that woody clattering sound.

Old velvet was rubbed off and left dangling from his antlers in long, bloody, red strips. He shook his head and began beating the oak stems harder. Bark and wood chips flew as he tore into it, staining the wood red.

Dinah hardly recognised him. He was relentless, pride welling up within him and spilling over in a mad display of ferocity. His antlers really were impressive for his age. He was barely 2 years old and yet his antlers towered over his peers, arcing out from his head like a fork of lightning.

“Ralof” Dinah called gently. He immediately stopped and his aggression fell away like an ill-fitting mask.

“Dinah!” said Ralof excitedly. “You’re here! I waited under your holly tree, but then my antlers got real itchy and...” He trailed off as she approached him, smiling cutely.

Dinah kissed him and gazed back to the damaged oaks. “You didn’t do it to _our_ holly?”

“Well, no. It’s your tree. The place where you sleep. I didn’t want to presume...” He trailed off again.

Dinah looked at him adoringly. “It’s _our_ place.”

She led him to the little holly tree. Now that Spring was here the thicket was green again and it was shielded on all sides. It was that rarest of things in the forest: a safe place.

Ralof scraped the holly with his antlers, beating and tearing until the pale sapwood appeared beneath his strokes. He attacked with new vigour and rubbed the top of his head into the fresh wounds. Dinah watched in soundless delight.

Satisfied and out of breath Ralof took a step back to admire his work. The tree was marked on one side with unmistakeable etching. This was now private territory. And it belonged to him and Dinah.


	19. Dinah and Bambi

Dinah wandered west. It was pleasantly cool in the afternoon shade and peaceful. The air hummed in quiet exultation of the approaching night. It all worked together to ease the knot in her stomach.

Something troubled her. She walked for hours, searching all over for The Old Prince. Dinah didn’t exactly know why she wanted to see him. She just felt drawn to him, as if he had a vast store of answers to her questions.

She heard a familiar voice. “Dinah?” The voice came from just up ahead, near an old uprooted beech. Then the vague shape of Bambi appeared from out of nowhere, fading into view noiseless as a ghost.

As the lines of Bambi’s greying face came into light Dinah felt her nerves vanish. “My dear, you’re a long way from home. Is Ralof with you?” said Bambi.

“I’m alone” said Dinah straight-faced.

“I see. And how is Ralof? I hear he’s become quite the celebrity!” Bambi said this with a proud smile and approached closer.

“Oh, uh...” said Dinah nervously, her eyes not meeting his. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk with you about...”

For a moment they said nothing and Bambi gave a sideways smile, cocking his brow. When Dinah’s gaze evaded him still, his smile disappeared. Bambi let out a dignified sigh. “Walk with me.”

Dinah and Bambi walked together through parts of the forest she’d never explored. As they walked they discussed. This wasn’t the idle chit-chat most forest creatures shared on a daily basis, but a counsel of sorts. Dinah felt at ease.

“So...” said Bambi. His eyes sparkled with delight. “You all stood up to Gurdo. What happened after that?”

“Nothing, we just walked away. But...” Dinah frowned. “I think Gurdo challenged Ralof to a fight. A real fight.”

Bambi’s stride stiffened for a heartbeat. If Dinah hadn’t been watching closely she would have missed it. He didn’t say anything but his thoughts were betrayed by the worry in his eyes.

“Prince Bambi... What will happen?”

Bambi gave a weak smile. “Well, if he was just making idle threats to the three of you, swaggering like a pheasant, then it’s nothing to worry about. Just hot air from a buffoon.” He hesitated. “But you said...”

Dinah spoke slowly. “I said he challenged Ralof. Just Ralof. He said when Summer comes he’s gonna... find him.”

“Then they will fight. And it won’t end peacefully” said Bambi, his face cold and serious.

Dinah said nothing.

“I won’t lie to you, Dinah. If Ralof stands his ground then he is going to get hurt. And I might not be there to help him. If he fights...”

Dinah cut in. “But I don’t want him to fight!”

There was a sudden darkness in Bambi’s eyes. He gave a very long pause and a very hard, searching stare. It was like looking at her for the first time.

Dinah stood boldly without trembling. Her gaze was steady but full of fire, passionate and strong. She was nearly frowning at him, waiting for his response.

“Yes... I can see why Ralof fell for you. You are an unusual doe...” He spoke slow and soft, letting the words ring out and settle in Dinah’s mind.

Bambi went on with a faint, wistful smile. “Faline was like that when she was young.”

Dinah tilted her head. “Beg... pardon?”

Bambi’s eyes brightened. Then he began to laugh. It was a real, genuine laugh. He lowered his head and shook in amusement, his belly trembling. “Heheh... You know, I wasn’t sure about you before. But I can see it now-“ Bambi stopped mid-sentence, ears shifting nervously.

Dinah looked around and listened - nothing out of the ordinary.

“Do you hear that?” Bambi said as he gestured in some direction.

She snuffed the air - nothing. Then she closed her eyes and listened harder. She faintly heard a bizarre, song-like noise. “What is it?”

Bambi said nothing. Then he took another couple of steps towards the noise, careful and silent as always.

Dinah wanted to cry out with impatience. “Is it dangerous?”

“It’s terribly dangerous” said Bambi indistinctly. “Are you coming?”

He stood at the edge of the thicket ready to walk out into the open high forest, watching Dinah expectantly. “Well?..” Bambi said without even a hint of fear.

Dinah looked at Bambi skeptically as if to say _“Are you joking?”_

But as she studied Bambi’s bright, unafraid eyes she had a second, more profound thought: _“What is he trying to show me?”_ This was immediately followed by a third: _“What is he trying to **teach** me?”_

Dinah took in a sudden, involuntary breath of air. She followed Bambi through the open high forest. After a moment of looking around they heard rustling.

And then, following Bambi’s eyes, Dinah peered over to a dogwood bush. Right in front of the dogwood sat a creature. It was the plainest, most unusual creature she had ever laid her eyes on. It was a girl. A human girl.


	20. The Girl and The Lesson

The girl sat cross-legged and thoroughly absorbed in the action of twisting a handful of flowers into a cord. She was three years old.

She wore a pretty pale green cotton dress. It was knee length and simple, not the kind of long, extravagant dress you’d expect to see at an evening dinner. It was the sort of dress you would expect to be worn on a hike, or at a barn dance: practical, hard-wearing and comfortable.

Her dark hair was shoulder length and fine, curling around her ears in tight, untidy hoops here and there.

Dinah couldn’t take her eyes away from the girl. If the young girl weren’t humming there would be silence.

“What is it?” said Dinah, bemused and wide-eyed. Bambi didn’t reply.

The girl fidgeted some more. As she twisted and played with the flower stems she hummed a bumbling, wandering tune like a cuckoo.

In a moment Dinah heard the terrifying sound of He crashing through vegetation and snapping dry twigs underfoot.

The wild impulse to flee pulled at her heart. But Bambi shot her a sudden, jarring look and she froze.

“Shouldn’t we run?” asked Dinah.

“... No, no, we don’t need to run” said Bambi. He was a little nervous now but stayed put. “Stay. There’s something you should see.”

Dinah’s breathing was erratic, loud and choppy.

“Calm yourself. Do you want Him to hear you? I thought not, so keep quiet.” Bambi turned his attention back to the scene just as a Man burst out between some tall ferns.

The Man was brown. He wore a brown and blue coat, a brown hat and brown boots. A dark beard framed His face, which was pale and weather-beaten but quite handsome. To Dinah, He was horrible and grotesque.

The brown He trampled over to the girl. “Anna, I told you to stay by my side.” His voice was kind like a gentle, old man.

The girl got to her feet and ran to Him without a word. Her face went sickly-sweet and innocent.

“You could get lost out here, you know. You don’t want to get lost do you?” said the brown He.

The girl just shook her head without meeting his eyes. But in a flash she began to run off again.

“Anna!” said He, running after her with barely concealed joy. The girl and the brown He trampled through the ferns and the grass until they were out of sight.

When the disturbance was gone and the birds started singing again Dinah was still deep in thought. Her mouth hung open, sometimes moving in the patter of silent speech.

“Confused?” Bambi said dispassionately.

Dinah’s frown deepened. “That was... He?”

Bambi nodded.

“What was the littler creature?” said Dinah.

“That” said Bambi, “was His young.”

“Young?! You mean They have children?”

Bambi sighed. “Yes. As far as I can tell, that was His daughter.”

Dinah shook her head. “Why did you bring me here? We could have been killed.”

“No. He isn’t always dangerous. Couldn’t you see that yourself?” said Bambi.

“I don’t know what to believe!” said Dinah. “He has hunted us and killed us for as long as we can remember. Mercilessly! And you stand there and say that those ones weren’t dangerous. Are They not all-powerful and almighty? I don’t know what to believe.”

Bambi faced her squarely. “Then listen. He isn’t all-powerful or above us. And He isn’t perfect. He lives and breathes just like we do. He even has children.

And He can be killed. They live and They die just like us. They are just the same as us.”

Dinah’s mind was thick and obscured with confusion. As she stood there Bambi maintained unwavering eye contact.

“Do you hear me, Dinah?” said Bambi.

“Yes” said Dinah with irritation. “I hear you, and I understand.”

“Good. You learn quicker than Ralof” said Bambi. “And if it pleases you, then I will teach you.”

Bambi looked around and snuffed the air - nothing out of the ordinary. Then his eyes went to Dinah. She was staring at him.


	21. The Eyes of a Killer

The sun was low on the horizon and shone golden through the bare stems of the pine, ash and sycamore. The owl let out a frightening screech which sent mice scurrying for cover beneath a carpet of ground ivy. Pheasants crowed. Tits warbled. The jays argued among themselves. The brown He and His daughter were long gone.

Ralof was napping under the holly tree in the little oak thicket. Barely a leaf stirred under Dinah’s hooves as she crept closer to him.

“Ralof, I’m back” said Dinah gently.

Ralof raised his head with a slow laziness and got to his feet. “Great. Just give me a minute and I’ll be ready to go” said Ralof as he stretched his legs and his back.

Dinah wasted no time. She went right over and kissed his neck, then embraced him.

Ralof grinned. “What was that for?”

“I saw a He today” Dinah said listlessly.

Ralof’s face turned grim, but Dinah gave him a serene smile.

“It’s OK. I got away.” She hesitated. For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to mention Bambi. She thought maybe it would bring up bad memories for Ralof.

As night fell they left the safety of the thicket. They came out to the open meadow and grazed happily in the light of the full moon. But something nagged at Dinah’s attention the whole time.

She admired Ralof’s body. Strong, tall, sleek and - in her own words - perfect. His antlers really were big; it’s rare to see such big antlers at his age.

Then Dinah thought of Gurdo. Strong, tall and sleek, but vile. If Ralof was the archetypal hero then Gurdo was the villain.

She imagined them fighting an epic duel, with Ralof coming out on top and sparing Gurdo’s life out of pity. Gurdo would slink off with a shattered pride and never bother anyone again.

But then she imagined Ralof losing the fight. She saw Ralof struck by a terrific blow to his shoulder, torn open by Gurdo’s dagger-like antlers. Ralof lie helpless on the ground and bleeding terribly, gasping for air. Gurdo stood over him and gloated openly to the forest creatures all around. And then Gurdo stiffened his body, ready to deliver a fatal blow...

Dinah had to shake her head to clear her thoughts. “No” she whispered to herself.

“What’s wrong?” said Ralof. He stopped eating right away.

“Ralof, what are you going to do when Gurdo comes?”

Taken aback, Ralof raised his eyebrows and thought for a moment.

Dinah flashed her eyelashes cutely. “‘Cause you don’t have to fight, you know. Not for me.”

Ralof’s eyes narrowed and moved around actively, searching Dinah’s face. “Really? You don’t want me to protect your honour?” said Ralof teasingly. “I was rather looking forward to winning you over the old-fashioned way!”

Dinah couldn’t help but smile coyly.

Then all of a sudden Ralof’s face changed. His eyes changed. His tone changed. Everything about him changed. “I don’t want to fight either. And I haven’t seen him for months. But if he dares to show his face around here, he’s gonna regret it.”

Dinah did a double-take. She wasn’t sure if he was still joking or not. But his face, his eyes, his tone; it was all cold and sharp and pitiless.

Bambi was right. When Ralof and Gurdo next meet, they will fight. And it won’t end peacefully. She could see it in his eyes. They were the eyes of a killer.


	22. Hate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a dark turn.

Dinah was standing completely still in the middle of a green grove. Incredibly tall oaks loomed above her with wide, ascending branches which seemed like they were reaching for the sun. Wild grass and short ferns were strewn in clusters all around her.

Her eyes were closed and her ears shifted about constantly, analysing the many sounds of the forest with profound concentration. Magpies quarrelled in the far distance. Mice ran through a nearby bush. Her breathing was light and restrained, quiet as falling petals.

She heard the faintest crunch of a leaf to her left and grinned. “Left!” she said, eyes still closed.

Bambi’s voice called back. “Good!”

Dinah peeked one eye open to see Bambi stood quite far away, off to her left. In a moment he was walking beside her and she fell into pace beside him.

“Good” Bambi repeated. “Your ears are getting sharp. I hardly stepped on that leaf and yet you still heard me from a way off.”

Dinah beamed with pride. She smiled contentedly to herself and bounced with every step she took beside him.

Her lessons with Bambi were going well. At first things went rather stiffly, after all they were practically strangers. But soon their conversations became comfortable and easy.

They would meet once every few days and spend half an hour in avid debate, discussing all manner of things. Sometimes they talked about the weather. Sometimes they talked about He. Sometimes they talked about where to find the nicest wild flowers.

Then Bambi would spend an hour or so lecturing to Dinah about how to walk silently, or how to focus the mind to listen more closely, or how to escape a snare trap.

As they passed the familiar uprooted beech tree Bambi was lecturing her about the uses of wild garlic. But her mind wandered to Ralof.

“Is there something on your mind?” said Bambi, leaning in to catch her attention.

Dinah didn’t miss a beat. “Bambi, why do you think Ralof wants to fight Gurdo?”

Bambi laughed a little bit. “Oh, he does, does he?”

“Yes” said Dinah.

“And you’ve talked with him about it, hm?”

“Yes. I even told him he doesn’t need to fight for me. But he’s still going to...”

“That doesn’t surprise me” Bambi said contentedly and with a casual swish of his antlers.

“But why? Isn’t it kind of stupid to go looking for a fight with a stronger buck?”

Bambi stopped in his tracks and faced Dinah squarely, bemused and a little scornful. “Stronger? Oh yes, Gurdo is big and scary. But is he strong?.. Maybe, but he’s a coward. Didn’t you see that for yourself? And besides, Ralof has grown a lot since last Summer.”

Their eyes met and Dinah felt the intensity of Bambi’s fey gaze. She faced away and mulled it over for a moment. Then a thought occurred to her. “Has he ever challenged you?”

Bambi chuckled again and put on a slightly ostentatious air, disdain woven subtly into his voice. “Ah yes, not long ago courageous Gurdo challenged The Old Prince to a daring battle to the death...”

“What happened?” said Dinah, all attention.

“I chased him away with his tail between his legs” said Bambi with a flourish.

Dinah immediately burst out laughing. “Hahaha!! Really? That’s too funny!”

“We clashed antlers. He’s quite menacing, and fast too. But he’s got a serious weakness: his balance. He looked so surprised and so scared when I threw him on his back. All that muscle and menace, but he’s just a big, clumsy coward.”

“Did you hurt him?” said Dinah.

“What? No! He surrendered. Why would I do that?.. Oh, I suppose I could’ve hurt him if I wanted to. But what would that say about me, hm?”

They walked on.

“Bambi, what do you think Ralof will do if he wins? To Gurdo, I mean...” As Dinah said this, she saw Bambi’s ears flatten back ever so slightly. But his face was nonchalant.

“I don’t know” said Bambi, deadpan and unreadable.

A long pause followed. Dinah’s face became visibly mournful and lost as she imagined Ralof...

Bambi interrupted her swirling thoughts. “Never mind. Let’s not dwell on it.”

They walked on. But Dinah could think of nothing else. She imagined Ralof stood over his fallen enemy, eyes blazing and antlers dripping with blood. Gurdo begs for mercy but Ralof feels nothing but a thirsty anger as he stiffens his body, ready to deliver the killing blow. Ralof wins the fight. But he loses himself in the madness of revenge.

“Bambi?” asked Dinah, her voice wavering. “Is Ralof a bad person?”

“No” said Bambi sternly. “You know that.”

“But what if he wins... and he chooses to kill Gurdo. What then?”

Bambi’s eyes penetrated her once more. “Hate can be a terrible thing. It changes people, makes them vicious and cruel. It blackens the heart. And it always leads to suffering, not only to them, but to those closest to them.”

Dinah stared unblinking without saying a word.

“Listen to me, Dinah. If you want to live a long and happy life - if you want to attain wisdom - then you must distance yourself from hate. If Ralof chooses hate... you must save yourself. Do you hear me? Save yourself.”

Silence loomed over them; prominent as the giant oaks, dark as the encroaching night. For the longest time no one said a word. Even the birds were quiet. Even the wind was dead.


	23. Hate (II)

Several days later Dinah and Ralof were strolling together through the west meadow. It was late at night and a little colder than usual, but the crickets and the grasshoppers were clamorous as ever.

Now a cold front was moving in and rain was on its way, so Dinah and Ralof headed back to the little oak thicket for shelter.

As they reached the edge of the thicket Dinah heard the slightest sound ahead of them, then saw someone appear from out of the darkness, tall and proud and still. A stray beam of moonlight broke through the canopy and hit his greying face. It was none other than The Old Prince.

“Look! Over there” said Dinah. She smiled maturely.

Ralof’s eyes lit up in wonder and he made a bound toward Bambi, then stopped short. “Prince Bambi! I...”

“Yes?” said Bambi, a little haughty but warm and smiling as he stepped out of the thicket.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here” said Ralof. He was totally caught off guard. He gulped down air in the passing silence, head bowed ever so slightly.

Bambi walked to them. “We haven’t seen each other for a long time. You’re nearly fully grown now.”

Ralof couldn’t find his words. He just stood there woodenly, nervously trying to maintain a respectful distance.

Dinah stared nonplussed at Ralof. _“Why is he acting so nervous?”_ she thought to herself. But then she looked back to Bambi - big, powerful, majestic Bambi. She had spent so much time with him that she’d forgotten just how intimidating he can be. He stood taller and broader than Ralof, with antlers that seemed to glint in the moonlight and emanate regality.

She couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Noble prince, it’s an honour to meet you again. To what do we owe the pleasure?”

Bambi gave a slight nod. “Someone has been causing quite a stir in the forest. They say he is getting ready for war.” With a tilt of his head he turned the statement into a question.

Ralof’s posture changed. He straightened his neck and held his chin level. “If Gurdo messes with me or Dinah again, I am going to kill him.”

“Why?” asked Bambi darkly.

“What do you mean, why? After what he did to me? And to Dinah! After challenging me like that? He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

“So you’ll kill him. And risk your life in the process. And why? Why? Because you’re angry, that’s why. You’ve been attacked, humiliated even. You lost months of your life to that wound. And both you and Dinah suffered for it.”

Ralof didn’t try to hide his offended tone. “After all that, you still think he deserves to live?”

“After all that, I think he still deserves the chance to redeem himself” said Bambi, just as affronted.

“No. No, he had his chance. Now he’ll suffer” Ralof’s eyes were colder than stone but he snarled with heat.

“Listen to yourself! This isn’t the answer” Bambi pleaded scornfully.

“He’s right” said Dinah as she pressed his side. “You don’t have to do this.”

Ralof ignored her and gave Bambi a derisive laugh. “Ha! You yourself have fought many times. How is that any different?”

Bambi shook his head with vast rebuke. “Of all my fights I’ve never once killed anyone. Fighting is fighting. But this, this is just murder. Senseless... Stupid! I didn’t save you just so you could get your revenge.”

“I’ve had enough” said Ralof. “I’ve had enough. Just... stay away from me.” He stormed off into the thicket.

Bambi let out a weary sigh, eyes closed and mouth pursed in ire. He and Dinah waited for a long while until they could no longer hear Ralof’s hoofbeats. Bambi looked defeated, deflated and above all utterly lost for words. The Old Prince is well known for being quiet and mysterious, but this was a completely different kind of silence. It was uncomfortable to hear.

“Dinah, you need to talk with him.”

Dinah groaned piteously. “What can I do? What could I possibly say to him? When he wouldn’t listen to...” She trailed off.

“He trusts you” said Bambi.

Dinah protested. “And he doesn’t trust you?”

“I thought he did. But now there’s a wall between us. He’s just too ashamed to have anything to do with me.”

The uncomfortable silence went on. Dinah ran into the thicket, leaving Bambi alone in the moonlit meadow.

“Too damn proud” thought Bambi. “He’s come so far and grown so much, but hate has changed him. He can’t face shame anymore; he’s just too damn proud.”


	24. Hate (III)

Dinah ran without stopping, frantic and desperate was she to get to him at once. She really didn’t have a clue what she was going to do. But it couldn’t wait.

She found Ralof beneath their holly tree, idly beating the stem every now and then with a harsh ‘thwack’. He rubbed his antlers into the old wounds with closed eyes and payed no attention to anything else.

Dinah approached. “Ralof...”

“I can’t do it” Ralof said immediately, his head hung low in dejection.

“What do you mean?” asked Dinah ernestly.

“I can’t face him. I can’t face Bambi. It’s too painful.”

“Because of what he did for you?” said Dinah, still puzzled.

Ralof nodded. “Yeah.”

“Because he saved your life?”

“Yes.”

Dinah blinked in wonder. “I don’t get it.”

Ralof said nothing. The anger fell away from him as he stared stupidly at Dinah. A sad smile played across his face. At the same time she wondered: _“How could he want to hurt anyone?”_

“And what about Gurdo? Why have you suddenly decided he should die?”

“Because I hate him” he said glumly. “The whole forest would be a better place if he weren’t in it.”

Dinah had to stop and think about it for a moment.

Ralof went on. “And you heard him, right? ‘When Summer comes I’m gonna find you’, that’s what he said.”

“But I don’t want you to fight” Dinah snapped. “And I certainly don’t want you to kill him. There has to be another way.”

“You can’t seriously think he’ll leave me alone. I have to fight” said Ralof.

“Don’t fight. Please.” Passion caught in her throat and she could hardly get out the words. “Run away with me. We can leave this part of the forest and never-“

Ralof cut in. “-No! This is my home, damnit! I refuse to be chased away by him.”

Dinah stared in terror as she saw a wicked grin emerge from the corner of his mouth.

Ralof went on. “He’ll come sniffing around here soon. He’ll come sniffing around here looking for a fight. But I’ll show him exactly what happens when you mess with me.”

“Please. You can’t...” said Dinah with barely controlled temper.

Ralof saw the fire in her eyes and blenched a little. Regardless he protested. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

“You’re going... to come with me. And we’re going to go back to Bambi. And we’re going to talk to him. And you’re going to listen to what he has to say.” Her fiery glare simmered down to a cool, unmoving gaze.

Ralof muttered under his breath. “I can’t. I... I can’t face him...”

“Why?! Why won’t you just listen?” Dinah incensed again.

Ralof couldn’t control himself any longer. It poured out of him all at once. “I don’t know why! Maybe I’m embarrassed, alright? Is that what you want me to say? I’m embarrassed that I couldn’t save myself. I’m embarrassed that Bambi took pity on me! I’m embarrassed that I couldn’t wrap my head around his teachings. And every time I see him it just reminds me how stupid and weak I am. What am I compared to The Old Prince? Nothing.”

Dinah looked hurt. “That’s not true! How could you say that?”

But Ralof just stubbornly turned his face away from her, disconsolate and frowning all the while.

“Ralof” said Dinah, eyes shining through tears. She went to him and kissed his neck and his mouth. “Ralof” she repeated. “You are worth more to me than Bambi. More than ten of him.”

The lost look on his face spurred her on. She continued. “You’re not weak. You’re strong. So, so strong, the strongest person I know. Stronger than Bambi... Stronger than He...”

Ralof looked even more lost. He stifled a sob and stared at her in confusion. “How? How - how am I?-“

Dinah gave him no chance to protest. “Think of everything you’ve been through; recovering from that awful wound, and that dreadful Winter. But look at yourself now! You came out of that Winter in better shape than before! I call that remarkable.”

Ralof’s sad smile returned.

“And you did that all by yourself. Who else in the whole forest could do that? No one. And Bambi is so proud of you.”.

Ralof immediately brightened. “Really? And how do you know that?” He smiled slyly.

Dinah felt a pang of guilt, but she didn’t hesitate. “Because he told me. I’ve been visiting him. I’ve been visiting him and he’s been teaching me the lore of the forest.”

Ralof laughed. “Haha! Dinah! I know! Did you really think the birds wouldn’t gossip about it?”

“Oh” said Dinah. “I... didn’t think of that.” Her face was frozen in embarrassment.

Ralof laughed again and his smile broke through like sunshine. “Dinah! It’s alright. I understand. It was only a couple of birds anyway...” He kissed her on the mouth.

“So you’re not upset?” asked Dinah.

“His teachings are complicated and most people just can’t learn it. I know I couldn’t. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. If you have what it takes... go for it! You have my support! Just don’t ask me to tag along.”

Dinah gave him that loving smile he knew so well and nuzzled his neck again. “But what about Gurdo? Are you still going to...” She trailed off.

“Do I really have a choice?” said Ralof, finally calm and thoughtful.

“Yes” said Dinah. “You always have a choice. Please. Don’t fight.”

Ralof was struck with dumb musing. She could see every conflicting thought and emotion written plainly on his face. Anger. Relief. Curiosity. Fear. Peace. Acceptance. He let out a heavy, mindful sigh. “Alright” he said at last. “I will try.”

That night it rained for many hours into the next day. The sun rose behind dark clouds.


	25. Children

It was Summer and the sound of cheeping chicks chimed through the north east forest, high in their treetop nests. A group of crows were quarrelling among the branches of a tall ash. There was a nest of chicks there and Dinah could hear them arguing over who gets to plunder it.

“Keep quiet!” said one crow.

“Shut it!” said another.

“Keep quiet, or I’ll claw your eyes out.”

“The parents could be back any second now. Let me grab one before they get back” said an old crow as she flew up to the nest.

“Oh no, you don’t!” said another crow, beating her with a wing. “They’re mine. You just be a good old dear and keep watch while I grab one.”

“Do I look like a fool? You watch out” said the old crow.

The two crows began clawing and jabbing beaks and beating wings in a frantic bid for dominance. The other crows watched in wild excitement.

At one point someone else decided to go for the nest, but is then also stopped by a greedy crow, and another scuffle breaks out.

In the chaos the older crow jabbed at her adversary with fine precision. Ruffled, the other crow let out a menacing cry and attacked with new vigour. But the older crow was fast; in an instant she lashed out with her beak and tore off several small feathers.

“Yahah! That hurt me! How dare-“ but at that moment he was interrupted by the angry, piping call of the bullfinches - the parents.

“Get out of here!!” the parents yelled, charging headlong at the crows.

“I told you to shut it!” said the old crow as she frantically fled the scene. The other crows followed suit and scattered, bickering as usual.

The parents returned to their nest. The chicks had their first feathers and their eyes were wide open but they couldn’t comprehend their good fortune.

“Thank goodness we came back when we did!” said the father. “If we had waited another moment...”

The mother chimed in angrily. “Oh, those crows. I’d love to have a go at them!”

“At least the children are unharmed” said the father. He perched on the nest side and adored his three daughters contentedly.

Dinah hadn’t seen Bambi for some time now. He stopped showing up to teach her about the forest lore, so she spent her days in these woods honing her skills and practicing all she had learned.

She walked in near silence everywhere she went. She ate only from the most nourishing weeds and shoots. She focused her mind and her hearing at all times, stopping only when she was very weary.

One day she heard the familiar noise of running deer. It was loud but left a curiously child-like impression, like the sound of fawns playing among fallen leaves. She went toward it.

Through the trees she saw Gurdo. Dinah couldn’t decide whether it was curiosity or a deep-seated rage that spurred her on, but she knew she couldn’t resist. She drew closer, quiet as a butterfly.

The greasy, leering smirk that he usually wore was pointedly absent. But he was smiling. It was a warm smile. He tossed his head to watch the nearby thicket behind him and the smile broadened across his face.

There were more noises in the thicket behind him, the sound of playing children, and in a heartbeat two young fawns came bounding out.

The children were brother and sister. Their fine, Summer-red coats were dappled with tiny white spots. The children’s baby faces showed their age: hardly one month.

The children clamoured “Father!” and ran to Gurdo, dancing and jumping around him. “Father! Father! Can we go to the meadow?”

Gurdo gave the children an exaggerated, playful look of shock. “What, now? Why... it’s almost noon!” He chuckled.

“Oh, please!” said one of the children.

“No” said Gurdo. “Didn’t your mother ever tell ya it’s dangerous out there in broad daylight?” He chuckled again, bright eyes gleaming with happiness.

Dinah couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Is this a joke?” she yelled out loud. The words escaped her.

Then they all noticed her, stood only a stone’s throw away but partially hidden by a blackthorn shrub.

After a long pause one of the children looked back up to Gurdo with big, innocent eyes. “Father, who is that?”


	26. Gurdo

“Children, go to your mother now” said Gurdo, suddenly serious.

The children were frightened and obeyed at once, disappearing back into the thicket. Gurdo avoided Dinah’s eyes and neither spoke a word for a moment.

“Well? Aren’t you going to chase me?” She spoke with unwavering confidence and a haughty laugh.

Gurdo shook his head, still avoiding her eyes.

“Oh really? And why, pray tell, have you suddenly changed your tune?”

Gurdo’s eyes flashed and his bearing shifted. He raised his head and stood with his rear hooves placed improbably far apart. The familiar smirk returned to his mouth. “I could ask the same question. What’s got you so cocky?”

“But you already know the answer to that” said Dinah, smiling superiorly. “Don’t you?”

Gurdo made a sudden, jarring movement toward her - a feint. But she stood firm and unflinching. Gurdo snarled at her. “Grr... don’t think just because Bambi taught ya a few things that you’re better than me.”

She cocked her brow. “I know I’m better than you.”

“Whatever” Gurdo muttered. “It’s not like I care what ya think, anyway.”

Dinah brightened sarcastically. “Oh ho? When did you become so laid back?”

Gurdo said nothing as he glared at her. But the glare soon weakened and his smile became light and somewhat friendly.

“So, those were your children?” Dinah asked suddenly.

Gurdo’s smugness was now totally gone, replaced with a nervous smile. “Yeah.”

“And now I’m supposed to believe you’re some kind of good father” said Dinah.

Gurdo snapped at her . “You believe what ya want, darlin’. I don’t care. I just wanna spend time with my children.”

Dinah sniggered again. “You can’t be serious.”

“It’s not funny. I love my kids. And I also love their mother...”

Dinah snapped to attention, ears forward with curiosity.

“Not that it’s any of ya business” said Gurdo. “When I heard she’d given birth to fawns, my kids... my heart soared. I just had to see ‘em for myself. Nothing in my life has given me more joy. And I see them every day.”

“And you even take them to the meadow?” said Dinah.

Gurdo broadened his chest again. “Yes” he said proudly. “Sometimes.”

Dinah laughed, but warmly this time. “Heh, most princes don’t even visit their children.”

“Bambi does.”

“And what, you think this will make you more like Bambi?”

Gurdo stomped a hoof. “I don’t care about that. I just want to protect my children.”

Dinah’s interest piqued again, and it was so obvious that Gurdo couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m done chasing you, Dinah.”

Dinah’s brow arched again. “And you’re done with Ralof?”

The look on Gurdo’s face didn’t change at all. Without even trying he became totally unreadable to her. She waited patiently for the response but nothing was forthcoming. Gurdo just stared into space, apparently deep in thought.

“Well?” she snapped.

Eventually Gurdo’s smirk returned. He turned on the spot and started walking away. “Well” he said snobbishly. “I’d love to stay here and banter with you all day, but I have better things to do.” And with that, he disappeared into the forest.

Dinah was left all alone, filled with curiosity, intrigue and bitterness.


	27. Lovey-Dovey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. Here we go. This is where it gets mushy.  
> Just FYI, mid Summer is the roe deer’s ‘special time’. Enjoy :)

As the Summer days dragged on Dinah could sense something wonderful approaching. All around her the forest seemed to hum with vibrance and the growing expectation of things to come.

Up until now she had been spending much of her time alone in the north east woods. At times she would be gone for days, mulling over all the little things she had learned from Bambi in quiet contemplation.

But that no longer completely satisfied her. She had other things on her mind. The same longing that troubled her last year took hold again, as overbearing as the midday heat, making her frantic, impatient and lovesick. She journeyed home.

As she neared the meadow at sunset Dinah picked up Ralof’s scent on the trail. It was heady and sweet to her, like new-mown hay. She searched for him with her eyes.

Looking out across the field she could see a few deer here and there in loose herds. As Dinah passed them she felt their eyes on her. It was very obvious and a little uncomfortable. Every deer she walked by just stopped whatever they were doing and stared.

Self-conscious but cool, Dinah pretended not to notice. But she couldn’t help but overhear the hushed whispers of conversation that followed her: “That’s her”, “Oh, that’s Dinah”, “Yeah”, “Ssh! She’ll hear us!” the deer said among themselves.

Dinah went on. On the far side she finally saw Ralof. He was alone and eating some primrose that grew by the dry pond, totally absorbed and unsuspecting.

“Hey there, stranger” Dinah called out to him. Ralof turned to her at once, quite surprised.

At that moment an old hare appeared from among the primrose, twitching his nose and his ears nervously. He looked out and saw Dinah. “Oh, my ears and whiskers, you must be Dinah! Yes?”

But Dinah wasn’t paying attention. Her gaze was resting quite firmly on Ralof. He stood there dumb for a moment, but he soon returned the look, inviting and lovely as hers.

Not receiving any answer, the hare twitched his ears again and shyly hopped away without another word. Dinah and Ralof were now alone in their corner of the meadow.

“You look nice” said Ralof. He went on eagerly. “I haven’t seen you in a few days now, so tell me: Were you always this beautiful?”

Dinah hardly blushed, but she did return his alluring gaze. “Ralof...” she said quietly as she walked to him.

They met with a kiss and an eager embrace, touching and caressing and nuzzling each other without any restraint. They felt hot. Fire was growing within them, like a stiff breeze before a Summer storm.

Dinah looked up into Ralof’s bright eyes and saw clearly all the heat that was burning within. He smelled good to her; it was indescribable and completely intoxicating. Her fire matched his. “Ralof. I want you now...” she whispered to him, breathless and ecstatic.

All at once the storm came and swept them away.

The next day was unusually warm and the air sizzled with the mounting energy.

Dinah and Ralof made merry all night - they chased each other and played in the meadow for hours. They walked contentedly together through all the woods and the thickets until the sun came up. A whirlwind of passion carried them through the night and into the next day without even a wink of sleep.

By late morning they were so exhausted that they simply lied down where they happened to be standing, then slept.

Dinah woke to see Ralof. He was lying next to her, already wide awake and giving her some loving looks.

“Good evening, sweetheart” said Ralof, happy and teasing. He kissed the top of her head.

“Hm... good evening” said Dinah. “Where are we?”

“I think we’re in the west beech woods.”

Dinah got up right away and shook off her sleepiness. “The west woods? We came this far?”

“Maybe. I’m not sure. Last night was so wonderful, I hardly paid any attention to where we were.” He smiled sweetly, then turned a sly look. “And what about you?”

“What about me?” she retorted.

“You seemed to be enjoying yourself too” Ralof laughed. Then he suddenly became silly and teasing. “Oh, Ralof... I want you...” he said melodramatically.

“Oh” said Dinah, a little embarrassed. “Did I really say that?”

Ralof’s smile became even more mischievous. “Yeah, you said some lovey-dovey stuff:  
Oh, Ralof! Chase me through the meadow...  
Oh, Ralof! Be mine forever, my love...  
Oh, Ralof! I love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my might...”  
He finished with an absurd flourish and giggled heartily.

Dinah grew a little irked but couldn’t help but grin at his silly recitation. “I don’t sound like that.”

“You did last night” said Ralof.

“Yeah, well... you said some pretty mushy things too!”

“Really?” said Ralof confidently. “Like what?”

Dinah stopped to think for a second. Then she said “Oh, Dinah! I’ve never felt this way in my whole life...”, just as ridiculous.

Ralof burst out laughing. “Hahahaha!! That’s terrible! Haha!” Then he turned his lusty gaze and fixed her with his eyes. “But it’s true, I’ve never felt this way before.”

Dinah tried to hide her face as she blushed madly. “Alright, well how about: Oh, Dinah! I need you more than air... I need you right now...”

Ralof laughed again. “Heh, that’s fine. I’m not embarrassed.” He went to her and leaned in close to her ear, whispering “Because it’s all true. I need you right now...”

The blush around Dinah’s eyes couldn’t get any redder. She shied away a little and giggled girlishly.

“I win” said Ralof. He kissed her cheek and her mouth.

Dinah was suddenly roused from her shyness. It melted away and they locked together in a tender cuddle, the way only deer can. Hours of love followed again. They simply couldn’t resist one another, inflamed by the passion and romance of Summer.


	28. Gobo

They spent all day together talking and playing and romancing each other until they were ready to sleep. When they woke the strong odour of Summer flowers mounted to their heads and refreshed them. Then they would continue in their courtship from dusk ‘til dawn.

This went on for several days. In their time together they hardly remembered to eat or rest, yet hunger and fatigue seemed to evade them. They were blissfully ignorant of it all - too wrapped up in their romance to care about anything else.

One morning when Dinah and Ralof were strolling happily together through their woods they came across Naphta and old Marena.

Naphta immediately gaped. “Oh, wha-?”

“Oh, there you are, Dinah” said old Marena. “Naphta! Don’t you recognise your own sister?” she laughed.

“It’s not that” Naphta said as he strode up to them. “I just can’t believe how much you’ve changed! Dinah! And Ralof, check out your antlers!”

“Well” said Ralof, modestly. “My antlers are nice enough, I guess. You have to be happy with what you have.”

“Oh, come on” said Naphta. “They’re great. Way better than mine!”

Naphta tilted his head to show off his own antlers. They were nothing special - 4 points and a normal size - but he wore his crown with equal measures of pride and humility.

Naphta and Ralof were already grinning together like boys. Being side by side really showed the differences between them. They were the same height at the shoulder, but Ralof was a little broader and more powerful looking, and his antlers stood taller and wider than Naphta’s.

Dinah’s eyes wandered over to Marena. She was still quite beautiful and relatively slender, but getting grey in her old age. Her eyes were bright and warm but jaded. She smiled happily.

“Thanks” said Ralof. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Oh, sorry. Is this your territory?” Naphta said blatantly.

Ralof looked bewildered. “What? Oh, no no! Don’t worry about _that_! This may be my territory but you’re Dinah’s brother and my best friend. You’re welcome here any time.”

Old Marena chimed in. “We came to see Dinah... and her new gentleman friend.”

“Well, he’s _gentle_ but he’s certainly not new” said Dinah. “This is Ralof. Ralof, this is Marena, our matriarch.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ralof” old Marena said courteously.

Ralof bowed his head in a respectful way. “It’s an honour to meet Dinah’s... grandmother?”

Old Marena smiled warmly. “Cousin, actually. Their grandmother was a relative of mine. But she passed away a couple of years ago. Ever since then I’ve been the family matriarch. What has it been? Two years? Over two years since she died... But listen to me ramble.” The smile returned to old Marena’s face.

“Pardon me” said Dinah. “What was it you wanted to see me for?”

Naphta cut in excitedly. “Right. Dinah, you’re famous!”

Dinah cocked a eyebrow. “Beg pardon?”

“It’s true” said Naphta. “People are talking about you all over the east woods.”

“They say” Marena said soberly. “That Bambi has been teaching you the secrets of the forest.”

Dinah flushed a little. “Yes, that’s true.”

“What?!” Naphta cried. “It’s true? Really?”

Ralof spoke up. “Yeah, it’s all true. My Dinah is the best and smartest deer in the whole forest” he said proudly.

Dinah flushed even more and glanced back to him. He beamed at her joyously.

“Well, that’s really something” said old Marena. “Most of The Old Princes only ever bothered teaching forest lore to their sons. To think that you’re not even his daughter. I call that incredible. He must have seen something special in you.”

Old Marena went twittering on. “I knew Bambi when he was just a little fawn, you know. And Faline, too. And her brother... Gobo...” Her voice croaked a little and she had a distant, nostalgic look about her. The trio waited for her to continue.

“Gobo...” she said sadly. “Poor Gobo.”

“Poor Gobo” Ralof repeated.

“Pardon me” said Dinah. “But who is Gobo?”

For a brief moment Marena looked a little upset. But she calmed herself with a heavy sigh.

Ralof cut in gently. “Gobo was Faline’s brother. He died years ago... It’s a rather sad story. Bambi told it to me when I was recovering from my wound.”

“Oh, that’s right” said old Marena. “I heard about that. Was the wound as bad as people say?”

Ralof nodded glumly.

“Well” said Old Marena. “What did Bambi tell you about Gobo?”

“Not very much. Bambi said Gobo became friends with He... but it didn’t end well.”

Dinah and Naphta stared in awe. _“Friends with He?! What is he talking about?”_ she thought to herself.

Old Marena shook her head and chuckled. “That won’t do. Come, let me tell you the whole story.” And with that she started walking.

The trio followed without any hesitation. They were eager to hear Gobo’s story.

“I’ll start from the beginning - Gobo’s first Winter - and work my way through all the important details. But I should tell you now: it doesn’t have a happy ending...”

Dinah suddenly realised just how hungry she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s some more crossover with the original story here.
> 
> Anyway, something has come up with work so I’m going to be a bit more busy for the next few months. I’m hoping it won’t impact my writing, but there may be the occasional week I have to skip it. Just so you know.


	29. The Fool

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, this is a heavily abridged version of Gobo’s story written from a different perspective. But if you have the means then I strongly suggest reading the book - after all, who tells the story better than the original author? To that end, I’ve paraphrased a quote from the book.
> 
> Credited Material:  
> [1] Felix Salten. (1923). Chapter Sixteen. In: Salten, F. Bambi: A Life in the Woods. Berlin: Ullstein Verlag.
> 
> Edit: Whew! Gone back and overhauled this chapter. The writing style didn’t make much sense, mostly because I was trying to paraphrase from the book, which was completely pointless and didn’t make for very interesting reading at all. But hey, at least it’s done now :)

It was the middle of Winter and snow covered everything all around. Barbarism and misery spread through the forest.

It was my second Winter when I first met him. His sister, little Faline, was quite bold and outspoken, but Gobo trembled all of the time and hardly spoke a word; it was a constant worry to his mother.

It really wasn’t a good time for Gobo. He had always been smaller than Faline and Bambi and the other fawns his age, but he was getting weaker every day. He was struggling just to eat; the meagre food made him sick and his stomach was always empty. The cold and the hunger was quickly wearing him down.

Then one day He returned to the forest. There were so many of Them. They came in vast numbers and invaded the bare thicket. They trampled through the snow. They beat the trees and thrashed the bushes. His scent was everywhere; it choked our nostrils and our throats and sent us all into crazy panic, prey and predator alike.

Then the thunder came. What little sense we had left disappeared and in the chaos families were separated, people went missing... and many died. Gobo vanished without a trace.

I left the west woods after that day. There was too much pain and misery there. Too many ghosts. Gobo. Bambi’s mother. Many, many others who were gone.

However, a year and a half later Gobo miraculously returned to the forest. To think, he was alive after all that time. After hearing about his return, I came back to the west woods to see him... and hear his story.

He talked about incredible things. Gobo told of how He came along in the cold snow and carried him away to this bizarre ‘box’, where it was always warm and always dry. Where He would feed him all the potatoes and turnips and hay that he wanted.

It was at that point that I noticed how much he’d grown. As a child he was skinny and frail, but now he was big, fat even! His red hair was sleek. His eyes were bright and naive. There was hardly a blemish on his well kept body. And he was handsome too. 

“Weren’t you ever afraid?” we would ask him.

But Gobo would just smile in his naively superior way and say “No, dear. Not anymore. Why should I be afraid? You all think He’s evil, but He isn’t. If He loves you, He’s good to you. Wonderfully good! Nobody in the world can be as good!” [1] And I believed him.

From the very first day of his return, Gobo stood out as different from everyone else. He walked without hesitation everywhere he went, never stopping to listen or snuff the air. He slept from when the sun went down in the evening, right up until late morning, and never rested during the daytime. When the sun was high and the other deer folk were searching for safe places to sleep, Gobo would roam the high forest and the meadow without any fear.

And I was spending more and more time with him. Before his return I lived alone in the east, going my own ways and keeping to myself. But now we were never apart... I loved him. But Bambi was always skeptical.  
  
I remember once when Bambi came to visit us, he asked him “Gobo, how can you be so careless? Aren’t you worried about Him?”

But Gobo laughed arrogantly in his face. “Hahah! No, I’m not like you, Bambi. I’m good friends with Him, and I know that He would never hurt me.” And I believed him.

A few days later when we were all together in the old hazel thicket, Gobo decided he would go out into the meadow in the middle of the day. We asked him to stay. I remember Bambi even begging him not to go, but he wouldn’t listen. He thought he knew better.

“There could be danger” we said to him.

He didn’t listen. “Don’t be ridiculous. There isn’t any danger for me...”

The jay screamed out on the meadow. He went anyway. Faline and Bambi pleaded with him “Please Gobo, don’t go out there!”

I could hardly get out the words. “Please come, dearest” I said, nearly crying, but he didn’t care.

“Pah! You do what you please” he said. “But if He’s out there... then I want to go see Him.”

We held our breath as he walked boldly and without the slightest hesitation, right across the middle of the meadow, right in plain sight.

At that moment the thunder crashed. Gobo leaped high into the air, turned around and staggered back to the thicket, gasping and terrified.

We ran, but Gobo barely made it to the bushes when he tumbled to the ground.

He called for me and shook uncontrollably as the blood flooded out of his wound. He was torn wide open, still calling my name.

I stopped to help him, but there was no time. After a few moments, He parted the bushes and stepped into the thicket. I was so scared, I had to run. Then I heard Gobo’s last cry for help. He died at His hands.

...

  
Naphta stammered “B-but... but I don’t understand! He was Gobo’s friend, _wasn’t_ He? Why wou-“

Old Marena cut in gently. “-No. No, He was never Gobo’s friend.”

“Gobo trusted Him” said Ralof, miserably and without looking anyone in the eye.

“Gobo was very foolish” said old Marena. “He thought he knew better than everyone else. He really believed that we could live peacefully with Him.”

“But I don’t get it!” cried Naphta. “Why would He kill Gobo? After everything that happened... After saving him like that.”

“Because that’s what He does” old Marena said bitterly. “And that’s what happens when you trust Him. There are many tales of He saving us forest creatures from harm, or even befriending us! But in the end, He is a killer. Always.”

Now Dinah was walking away from the group. She snuck off quickly and quietly, but she didn’t really care if they noticed. She just had to leave. She didn’t know what it was, but there was something intolerable and painful about Gobo. Hearing his story made her feel helpless and sick to the stomach. She disappeared into the forest.


	30. Temptation

Ralof walked by the stream that runs through the young oak thicket. He felt tired. Over the last couple of days he’d hardly eaten or slept. For some reason while he was with Dinah he was blissfully ignorant of his hunger and fatigue. But today when Ralof awoke she was no longer there.

It was still hot out, so most of the forest creatures were keeping themselves busy within the sheltered confines of the thicket. The tits and finches warbled in their trees. The squirrels chased each other through the pines and the young oaks overhead. A large family of crows were making a fuss in the crown of a mature ash.

Ralof was in the middle of browsing some oak shoots when he heard her voice. He listened out. Was Dinah calling him? It sounded like her.

She called again, high and yearning. “Come! I’m here!” came the distant call.

He bounded off right away and swift as a bird. After running for a while he could see her through the obscured thicket. But stood next to her... there was a buck. A stranger.

“What’s this?” Ralof barked. “Who are you?”

The stranger turned to meet Ralof with a sideways, mocking glance. “Back off, buddy. I saw her first.”

Without a word Ralof crashed through the thicket towards him.

“Oh, you think you’re tough?” asked the stranger sarcastically.

Ralof wasn’t listening. In a fury they met with antlers lowered and began to shove one another. But the stranger immediately felt Ralof’s giant strength and lost his nerve. In a panic he rooted himself, hooves planted firmly into the ground.

Ralof snorted a laugh. With a grin he ploughed into the stranger and threw him onto his side.

“Damnit!” cried the stranger as he scrabbled to his feet. He then charged at Ralof with full force, meeting with an earsplitting ‘thwack!’

Ralof barely moved an inch. He smiled a cocky smile. “Charging now, are we?” he asked with quiet menace. “Alright...” And with that he retaliated with his own charge.

As their antlers clashed the stranger reeled. He stumbled back and fell hard to the ground. “Damnit!” he repeated as he got to his feet. “Who do you think you are?”

“I’m Ralof” he said without pause. “And you’re messing around with the wrong doe.”

The stranger shuddered a little. His ears fell back and he got to his feet with head lowered and eyes down. “Wha?.. Ralof? I... I-“

“-Don’t worry about it, friend” said Ralof. “But in the future, you’d better stay away from Dinah...”

“Dinah?” said the stranger, puzzled. “What do you mean, ‘ _Dinah‘_?” He glanced over to her.

Ralof’s eyes followed. She was still there, off to one side and shaking a little. She had her head down, her ears back, her legs trembling... _Oh, that’s not Dinah. That’s just some doe._

“Uh... who’s that?” asked Ralof sheepishly. His face was frozen in a kind of uncomfortable half-smile.

But the stranger was slinking off. He ran off into the woods and disappeared.

Ralof looked away for a moment, eyes scrunched tightly in a grimace. The doe made her way over to him. As he opened his eyes again she was there, right in front of him, looking up at him with watery eyes and a meek smile. “You fought for me” she laughed. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“OK” said Ralof hurriedly. “I’d better be going.”

She followed him as he made a move to leave. “You fought really well. You must be really strong. Where are we going?”

Ralof shook his head with irritation. “No no no... Look, what’s your name?”

“...Mila” she said with a cute giggle.

“OK, I’m Ralof, and I’m sorry about... the fight, but-“

Mila interrupted him. “-Oh, I know who you are, Ralof. We’re near your place, right?”

“Oh man” said Ralof with a sigh. “Did you come here looking for me? Why?”

“...Isn’t it obvious?” said Mila as she nuzzled up to him.

“Woah! Stop. Stop, I can’t do this” said Ralof as he blenched back. “I have a mate.”

Mila eyed him up curiously. “Yeah? That’s fine.”

“No” said Ralof. “You don’t understand. I don’t want to do this.”

“What are you saying?” asked Mila, hurt and confused. “Don’t you want me?”

“You’re lovely” Ralof said gently. “Really, you are. Believe me... But...”

Mila batted her eyelashes. “Then I’m all yours...” She beckoned with an alluring, inviting gaze.

A rush of emotion washed through him. It filled his heart with power, but then sunk low into his stomach, the painful, familiar feeling of longing and desire. In that moment he wanted her. She could see it in his eyes.

She threw herself at him, frantically kissing his neck and his face. All the while Ralof stared in wonder.

He gasped for air. His heart was pounding. “Stop. Stop!” he complained, writhing and trying to escape her embrace.

“Don’t leave!” cried Mila. “Please don’t. Stay with me, Ralof. I need you.”

Mila went on with a whisper. “I need you more than anything. Stay with me. We can go to the meadow together. Please don’t go!”

Ralof gritted his teeth. She really was lovely. _“Control yourself, Ralof!”_ he thought.

It was all too much for him. He looked at her and felt only overwhelming temptation. He could think of nothing else. If he stayed here much longer then he would crack. He knew it and she knew it too.

“Pull yourself together!” he said out loud. The outburst startled them both, and Mila stopped her advances at once. A single, tiny spark of clarity settled in Ralof’s mind. Then, hesitant and ungraceful, he bolted.


	31. Not Perfect

Ralof ran blindly ahead. The direction didn’t matter; he just had to run. The voice called to him mournfully, driving him crazy with every repetition: “Ralof, Ralof!”

He was barely aware of his surroundings. Onward he ran, out of the thicket, across the meadow, deep into the west woods.

Then, as the voice became distant and vague, his senses returned. But his blood was still hot with sex, so on he walked, deeper and deeper, away from temptation.

Now the sun was below the horizon and Ralof was finally calm. He came to a place with no tall trees, only a young maple thicket he didn’t recognise. As Ralof studied the blackened, crumbling remains of an ancient fallen tree, he felt an uncanny sense of loss. The air tasted funny. _What happened here?_

While lost in his thoughts he heard a familiar voice. “Ralof? What are you doing all the way out here?”

Bambi appeared from out of the shadows of the thicket. His ear twitched. “And who’s that calling you?”

“No one” Ralof said curtly, trying to hurry off. “Please, excuse me.”

“It sounds like a doe” Bambi went on. “Is it Dinah? I think she’s calling you.”

“I said it’s no one” Ralof snapped.

Bambi nodded wisely, knowingly. “Ah. I see. That’s not Dinah calling, is it?”

Ralof stopped in his tracks and frowned at him. “No, it isn’t. I ran to her thinking it was, but no. I even had a fight over her... just to realise it was someone else.”

“You fought? Just now?” asked Bambi, surprised.

“A little while ago, actually...” said Ralof as he pawed at the ground in a mood.

Bambi approached closer. “Your face is scratched. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“It’s fine” said Ralof as he tried to rush off again. “I just ran into a blackthorn.”

Bambi cleared his throat. “Alright. Then, do you need directions back home?”

“Just leave me alone” Ralof barked. “I get it: Poor little Ralof can’t take care of himself...”

Bambi blinked. “You’re still hung up on that?” he asked.

Ralof turned away from him angrily.

“Oh, for goodness sake!” Bambi moaned. “After all this time, I assumed you’d let it go. But no, apparently you just can’t handle the fact that you needed help that one time.”

Ralof still said nothing but sighed miserably to himself. He was practically pouting.

“Ralof... You shouldn’t think less of yourself just because you had a run of bad luck. I certainly don’t.”

“It’s not just that” Ralof complained. “I just feel...”

Bambi waited patiently for an answer. But nothing came. “What is it? You can tell me” he said encouragingly.

Ralof’s ears fell back. He relaxed a little more. “You saved me...”

“Why does that bother you? Everyone needs help sometimes” said Bambi.

“Not you. You’re smarter than that” said Ralof sourly. “And every time I see you it just reminds me: What am I compared to The Old Prince? Just a stupid kid.”

Bambi chuckled quietly. “You think I never make mistakes? Because let me tell you, I made plenty in my time.”

“Heh, sure. Like what?” Ralof asked doubtfully.

Bambi didn’t hesitate one bit. “One time I was shot by a He.”

Ralof immediately clammed up.

“That’s right. He got me, right there.” Bambi gestured to his shoulder, revealing a tiny, acorn-sized scar. “...Because I was careless” he added bitterly.

Bambi continued. “Now that I think of it, I was your age when it happened... Anyway, the point is, I’m not perfect. But do you know who helped me through that?”

“Who?” asked Ralof, now earnest.

“The Old Prince” Bambi said solemnly.

“...The Old Prince?” asked Ralof, astounded. “The one before you?”

“He saved me” said Bambi. “When I was wounded by His thunder, he came along and rescued me. If it weren’t for him, I would be dead.”

For a moment they were quiet. Ralof thought hard to himself.

Bambi went on firmly. “Everyone needs help sometimes. **Everyone**.”

Ralof still said nothing. A little smirk was creeping onto his face.

“Do you hear me, Ralof?” said Bambi with a grin. “I was exactly the same.”

Ralof shook his head weakly, eyes closed in a kind of lighthearted grimace. “Why am I so stupid?” he laughed.

“Because you’re a person” said Bambi with the warmest smile. “And you’re not perfect either.”

For the first time, Ralof actually smiled at him. It was a real smile. Not a forced smile, or a nervous grin. It was real.

“Ralof... You didn’t do it, did you?” Bambi asked. “With the doe, I mean.”

Ralof bowed his head. “...No...” he said quietly, hardly louder than a whisper. “I made a promise to Dinah, and I intend to keep it.”

Bambi gave him an approving nod. “I know a lot of princes who lack that kind of self-control” he said. “You should be proud of yourself.”

“But I wanted to” said Ralof. “In the moment... I really wanted to.”

“But you didn’t!” Bambi exclaimed excitedly, gesturing wildly to the darkening skies above. “Because you have a strong heart, as big and boundless as the whole sky! Never forget that... And now, Ralof, I must be off. The forest is waiting. Farewell.” Bambi walked off.

For a moment Ralof stood there transfixed. _“What did he mean by that?”_ He wasn’t entirely surprised - very little about The Old Prince surprised him these days - but as always, Bambi’s whimsical expressions left him puzzled.

He looked back to the east. The doe was probably still calling him. _Could he trust himself?_

“H-hey, Bambi?” he said at last.

Bambi stopped walking and turned back around with a kind, questioning glance.

“Can I come?”


	32. There You Are

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big chapter. I’m getting close to the end of the story.

Ralof wasn’t there when she got back to the oak thicket, but she followed his scent. His smell alone excited her. She couldn’t get enough of it. The sweet, addictive taste left her wanting more with every breath. It spurred her on.

The trail lead her all the way to the north west woods. She walked down the valley where enormous firs tower over the thicket. Its dense shadows were penetrated by starlight.

Up ahead she heard the gentle crunch of dry leaves underfoot, and the patter of friendly conversation.

Dinah snuffed the air. She knew Ralof’s scent well, so there could be no mistaking it - he was here. But who was he talking to? Dinah waited a moment and listened.

Then she heard them laughing. _“Alright”_ she thought to herself. _“That’s definitely Ralof. And he’s with friends.”_ She called out to him. “Ralof! I’m here.”

The chattering stopped and Ralof called back to her. “Dinah? Is that you, Dinah?”

“Yes, come! I’m here!” she shouted. There was a pause. Dinah heard them talking quietly on the other side of the thicket, quite a ways off.

“Dinah!” he shouted back. “Why don’t you come here! I have some friends I’d like you to meet!”

She went over. As Dinah walked around the shrub she could make out three deer. One of them was obviously Ralof - he stood nearly a head taller than the other two.

They were younger than Ralof, not fawns anymore, but not quite adults either. But they held themselves gracefully and with confidence, with a certain air about them which she recognised at once.

Ralof’s face brightened when he finally saw her. “Dinah! I’d like you to meet Geno and Gurri” he said excitedly. Turning back to them, he said “This is Dinah. She and your father are good friends.”

The young doe, Gurri, beamed at her without the least bit of shyness. “Oh? You know father?” she said politely.

Dinah caught her breath. “Yes, yes, good friends...” she said awkwardly. “Um... yes, your father taught me the secrets of the forest.”

Geno piped up. “Woah, really?” he said amazed.

“Yes” Ralof said proudly, nudging Dinah with his shoulder.

“That’s so cool” said Geno.

“You’d better buck up, Geno” Gurri teased him. “She’s only a year older than you.”

“Father’s already started teaching me, nosy!” said Geno. “But it’s pretty amazing... Has he taught you how to move silently?”

Dinah smiled knowingly and adoringly at him. “Yes” she replied. “He’s taught me how to walk in silence. And how to observe all the forest around me. And how to fight off the fox. And...”

Geno stared at her expectantly, out of his big, bright eyes. They weren’t warm amber like Bambi’s, but Geno’s gaze was kinder and gentler than any she knew. It was distracting.

“It’s rude to stare, you know” said Gurri to her brother.

Geno gave her a stern glance, then playfully stuck out his tongue. He turned back to Dinah. “Anyway, you’re Ralof’s mate, right?”

Ralof spluttered loudly and uncontrollably, nearly choking through laughter. Dinah was just as embarrassed, pressing her lips tightly together in earnest and trying not to chortle.

“Uh-Geno!” cried Gurri.

Coughing and wheezing a little, Ralof said “Yeah, you’re absolutely correct! She is my mate.”

“Sorry” said Geno, shaking his head. “That was stupid of me, coming out with a question like that.”

“No, no, it’s fine” said Ralof as he laughed it off. “I’m just surprised you kids know about that stuff.”

“Well, this is my second Summer” said Geno. “I’m not a fawn anymore.” He waved his little antlers about confidently.

“Good point” said Ralof. “You’ve got your first antlers and everything.” A quiet lull passed as Geno and Gurri eyed up Ralof’s impressive crown.

As the silence stretched on, Dinah remembered why she came here to begin with. His sweet smell filled her head. She felt herself slowly becoming drunk with him.

As if reading her mind, Ralof suddenly said “I think it’s time me and Dinah went home.”

“Um, yes” said Dinah eagerly.

Geno and Gurri gave them a plaintive look. “Oh, you’re leaving already?” asked Gurri.

“Yeah, we, uh... We need to go do something back at home” Ralof mumbled.

“But you just got here” Gurri complained.

Geno broke in sadly with “Will you come see us again soon?”

Dinah smiled widely. “We’ll see you again sometime, won’t we Ralof?”

“Oh, absolutely” he said assuredly. “We’ll be around from time to time. And if you ever need us, we live in the young oak thicket on the farther side.”

“Well...” Geno started.

“Alright” said Gurri. “Goodbye, Ralof and Dinah.”

Dinah gave them another sweet smile and made a move to leave. “Goodbye.”

“Farewell, and good luck” said Ralof as he followed her out.

When they were finally out of earshot Ralof relaxed and kissed Dinah on the cheek. “Did you come all the way out here looking for me?”

“Of course” said Dinah like it was obvious. “I wanted you. Why are you out here anyway?”

“I, uhh... I had an issue with something and I needed Bambi’s help” Ralof said hurriedly. “It’s all fine now, though.”

“Nothing too serious, I hope? For you to go looking for Bambi’s help...”

Ralof said nothing. They walked on.

“Geno and Gurri left their mother a month ago” he said suddenly. “And Bambi invited me to meet them. He’s been checking up on them every few days. And pretty soon they’ll part ways too...”

“They’ll be fine” said Dinah. “They’re Bambi’s children, after all.”

Ralof smiled a wistful smile. “I remember when I was that age, only a year ago. I was so scared of everything back then, all the time, always scared. Always worrying. Always making stupid mistakes.”

“Has that really changed much?” asked Dinah, playful but also a little glum.

“...No. I’ve just gotten better at hiding it” said Ralof with a sad laugh. They smiled at each other companionably.

“And Bambi’s no different” said Dinah.

“Yes...” said Ralof. “I know that now.”

They walked on.

On the walk home they shared loving glances, occasionally leaning over and stealing a kiss from the other. They just couldn’t help themselves. They could feel their heat coming on again. It simmered all the while as they journeyed back to the privacy of the oak thicket.

Dinah was completely enraptured by it. Her eyes saw nothing but her prince. Every little thing he did played on her mind, teasing her with real pleasure. Everything else that happened was a blur - she was barely aware of where they were, as if she were drunk.

_The meadow. Into the oak thicket. It’s a little dark in here. I think we’re nearly there. Ralof is giving me that look again. I must be blushing. I must look ridiculous. I love you. I love you so much. Look, we’re home....... Something’s wrong..._

“Something’s wrong...”

“Eh? What’s that, honey?” said Ralof calmly.

But Dinah wasn’t calm anymore. Her numbness fell away. Everything became crisp and clear again. “Something’s wrong. There’s...”

“What is it?” Ralof whispered.

Dinah shook her head. Her ears twitched. Her eyes closed. She lowered herself into her meditative state, where she could hear and feel everything. The leaves. The light breeze. The mouse in its nest. The quietest creak of the oak branches overhead. There was something big coming. It was coming closer.

“What is it?” Ralof repeated, getting worried. She was just staring blankly ahead and he couldn’t get a read on her.

Twigs broke. The bushes and branches parted as Gurdo stepped into plain sight.

“.......There you are.......”


	33. The Showdown

“There you are” growled Gurdo. He had a look of ruthless, self-entitled authority about him, his chest out and hooves placed wide apart in a sort of power stance. “Well... Well, well, Ralof.”

They said nothing.

Gurdo went on mockingly. “It’s about time we faced each other. You know, I was actually starting to miss you” he laughed.

They said nothing still.

“Nothing to say? Ya look troubled” Gurdo said mockingly.

“My only trouble is you” Dinah retorted. “Gurdo, what are you doing here?”

“Checking up on my old chum, obviously. Making sure he’s all fine and dandy.” Gurdo looked Ralof right in the eye. “How is the scar, anyway?”

“Oh shut up, Gurdo” Dinah snapped at him.

“Woah, take it easy” Gurdo sniggered. “That’s no way to talk to a neighbour.” The oily tone in his voice was enough to make anyone feel sick.

“Just get out of here” said Dinah.

“Make me” said Gurdo, still joking around.

Dinah sighed deeply, her glare becoming darker. “Ralof is not fighting you...”

“Well” said Gurdo with a condescending grin. “That’s not really up to you. Is it? So why don’t ya just stay out of it. This is between me and Ralof...”

With a blazing temper, Dinah stomped her way over to him and roared in his face. “Are you stupid or something?!! I said leave!”

“Shut ya trap, girl!” Gurdo screamed back.

“Don’t make me slap you, you big oaf!” said Dinah.

“Arrogant doe!” said Gurdo.

“Pompous git!” Dinah spat, nearly butting him with her forehead. She was really in his face now.

“Privileged brat!” Gurdo snapped back.

They were so absorbed in their screaming contest that they weren’t watching Ralof. Seemingly out of nowhere, he came charging in a flash of red.

Gurdo barely had enough time to shield himself and shift backwards, yet he was still shoved with incredible force, barely able to stay on his feet. And the look in his eyes betrayed him; all his swagger and confidence went out the window in an instant, replaced with wonder, fear and anger.

“Ralof!” Dinah cried reproachfully.

He stopped in his tracks, frowning bitterly, eyes fixed on his rival. He trembled a little, hardly enough for Dinah to see it.

“You promised...” she moaned quietly.

Gurdo remained still and rooted to the spot, his smirk as sharp as a thorn. “You damned brat!”

With deep, controlled breaths, Dinah groaned “Just shut up a minute.”

Ralof snorted fiercely, but then relaxed his fighting posture and raised his antlers again, eyes still stuck to Gurdo.

Coolly, Dinah went on. “We don’t have to do this. Fighting like this... You‘re both going to get hurt. And I don’t want that.”

“Pah!” Gurdo exclaimed brashly. “Ya don’t know-“

But Dinah cut him off in anger. “-I said shut up! Listen to me. The only reason Ralof isn’t tearing you apart right now is because I made him promise not to.”

“Uh-huh” said Ralof with an evil, grinning nod.

“...And you have the power to walk away now” said Dinah. Then her eyes went cold and lifeless - something she learned from Bambi. She rested her chilling gaze on Gurdo and spoke slow and grave. “But if you insist on fighting, he will kill you without a second thought. Do you hear me, Gurdo? There will be no mercy. And you will die...”

Even Ralof shuddered. But Gurdo’s face hardly changed. The faintest smile appeared in the corner of his mouth. It sat there small and plain, yet glaringly obvious to her. His smile expanded into a vast, lecherous grin, teeth bared in a long, amused chuckle. “Hahaha... heheh, I see. You’re bluffing. Ralof doesn’t stand a chance, and ya know it...”

“Oh” said Ralof hotly. “Think I can’t take you? ‘Cause guess what, fella, she wasn’t lying. I’d destroy you without a second thought.”

“Ralof...” Dinah complained.

Gurdo snarled childishly. “That sounds like a load ‘a birch sap. Ya know what I think?” he asked.

“Yeah? Go on then” Ralof retorted.

“I think you’re too scared to really fight me” said Gurdo. “You spin me this story and try to scare me off, but you’re just a coward!”

“Shut up, both of you!” said Dinah, placing herself between them. “Now! Shut-“

“-You shut yourself, dear” snarled Gurdo. “This doesn’t concern you.”

Ralof barged his way past Dinah in a fury. “That’s it!” he said. “You’ve got five seconds to get out of here before I-“

“-Before ya what? Eh? Whadda ya gonna do?”

“I’ll kill you” said Ralof, with meaning and a long pause.

Dinah screamed at him “No! You promised! You promised me.”

“Ha! I’d like to see ya try, boy!” Gurdo sniggered aloud and puffed out his chest some more, then adopted a wide, stable stance. “...Bring it.”

“Ralof, no” Dinah pleaded.

Ralof was already preparing himself - he took position with a low bow. Then his hooves flashed beneath him, tearing into the earth like knives. He launched himself at Gurdo with all the fury of a frenzied bull.

Gurdo made no move to evade or deflect it. He took the full force of the charge. ‘Crash!’ Their entire bodies trembled from the impact. Then they immediately began working their antlers in a sort of mad dance, twisting and shoving, thrashing about and feverishly trying to knock the other off balance.

They broke away for a second, then Gurdo came rushing at him, but in that moment Ralof reared up and lashed out with a hoof. He struck Gurdo right on the nose, near his eye.

“Agh!” Gurdo whined. “You... damn... little!”

Now they were both reared up, boxing each other silly in the face and chest. Fur was torn, then blood was drawn from shallow wounds. ‘Bam! Bam! Pow!’

After a moment they withdrew. They took a breather, each backing off a few steps but never averting their furious glares. They circled each other and panted heavily.

Ralof’s chest was battered and bedraggled, and he had a nasty cut on his cheek. But Gurdo looked worse for it - his nose was bloody from several well-aimed strikes. A hoarse, strained rasp escaped his mouth.

Dinah looked on in astonishment. What could she do?

Then Gurdo charged, with Ralof meeting him half way. ‘Thud!” Neither budged an inch; their strength was equal. But they were both losing steam fast.

Eventually, after a long and gruelling fight, Gurdo made a slip. He lost his footing, stumbled forward and struggled to regain a defensive stance. Ralof seized the opportunity and threw him sideways, and poor Gurdo fell on to his side.

Gurdo kicked out desperately to try to get back on his feet, but Ralof didn’t give him the chance. He stomped down on Gurdo’s head and neck, again and again in quick succession, brutal and unforgiving, beating down on him like rain.

Gurdo cried out in pain and blood spilled onto the earth, but the slashing and pounding of hooves didn’t end there. “Stop! St-stop! Arrgh! I’ve had enough! I’ve had enough!” He was practically sobbing.

As Ralof backed off, Gurdo just lied there bloody and bruised and wheezing. “Damn... brat... huff... can’t ya... take a joke.......” Gurdo muttered.

“Leave him be” whispered Dinah. “He’s had enough.”

Ralof’s eyes were ugly with rage. His face was contorted into a terrible, demonic snarl. Dinah saw it too. It scared her more than anything.

The sky was brightening now. Ralof’s antlers seemed to gleam in the golden red glow of daybreak. He stiffened his body, ready to deliver the killing blow.

“Ralof. Leave him be” Dinah repeated.

But he payed her no attention. The sight of blood maddened him. There was no mercy. He thrust. A single prong of his antlers found its way into Gurdo’s neck, and plunged deep.


	34. Blood and Water

The forest was coming alive with the tiny, myriad voices that cheeped continually. “It’s morning! It’s morning! I’m happy” said the songbirds.

Far in the east the sky was bright and red, with barely a cloud in sight. A hot wind blew over the forest as slowly as the approaching sun.

The owls were returning from their haunts and settling down for the day, letting out one last screech or hoot before nodding off.

A mysterious creature moved through the forest. It went extremely slowly, as if trying to remain hidden. Its enormous, bear-like feet were curiously quiet. Not a twig snapped beneath them. Not a leaf stirred. It went slowly.

Several magpies were causing a ruckus in the young oak thicket east of the great meadow. They were perched in a loose circle and bickering. “Chachachaahh! What happened, what happened?” “Look! Blood! Blood! Shashah!” The screeches went on and on.

In the middle of the chaos, Dinah watched in horror as Ralof drove his antler into Gurdo’s neck. Blood flowed and spilled onto the earth. With a snort, Ralof skewered him and then shook him violently a few times.

“Aaahh!! Arrgh!” Gurdo screamed and kicked out his legs trying to get away. But Ralof had him pinned by the neck.

“Leave him alone!” cried Dinah as she lunged with a raised hoof, connecting with Ralof’s jaw and sending him reeling backwards. He shook his head in a daze.

“What are you doing?!” Dinah bleated at him.

Ralof couldn’t speak. All the savagery in his eyes was gone in an instant. All that remained was Ralof.

She fought back tears. “What‘ve you done?” she asked mournfully.

“I’m sorry” Ralof finally said. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry...” Tears welled up in his eyes. They both looked down at Gurdo with pity and fear.

Struggling, Gurdo got to his feet. His legs wobbled a great deal and he stumbled a few times before getting his balance again.

“That’s it” Dinah whispered in a distressed voice. “Can you walk alright?”

Gurdo gave her a despising look and croaked hoarsely. “....... I have... nothing... to say to you. Just... get out of my way.” Then his legs buckled beneath him and he fell to his knee. He looked down in wonder at the pool of blood beneath him. “Huh... I’m bleeding.”

Dinah knew she had to act fast. _What do I do? What do I do?_ He was bleeding out. Only Bambi could save him.

“Ralof” she barked. No response. “Ralof. Look at me, dear.”

Ralof turned his head towards her, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Gurdo. His mouth hung open stupidly.

“Ralof, can you hear me?”

He nodded. His pale, absent face hardly blinked.

Dinah gulped down air. “You’re in shock... I need you to do something for me.”

His eyes darted to her for a second, then back to Gurdo.

“I need you to find some yarrow” Dinah said to him gently, trying to stay calm. “Can you do that for me?”

“What’ve I done?....” said Ralof.

“Listen to me” Dinah commanded.

Ralof went on shakily. “I can’t believe I did that. I’m, I’m...”

“Yarrow” Dinah interrupted, looking him stern in the eye. “I need yarrow. Find some now.”

Ralof started to cry pathetically. All the hate and viciousness was gone. “Alright...” he whimpered, and ran off.

Looking back to Gurdo, she gritted her teeth. The wound was small but messy, near the spine and constantly trickling red.

Gurdo chuckled weakly. “...Stupid girl. Don’t make such a fuss... I just need... a breather.”

She looked around for the stream that runs through the thicket. “Stay here while I get some water.”

A mysterious creature crept through the forest. Its strange, pale face was obscured by shadow. Its body was every colour of the forest, green and brown and grey. It crouched and examined a bare patch of earth, where someone’s hoof was imprinted. The creature continued skulking through the forest.

Ralof returned to see Gurdo stood upright again, wobbly and dazed, with Dinah peering closely at his bloody neck. She opened her mouth, letting loose a small jet of water, which flowed into the wound and cleaned it. Gurdo writhed and thrashed about feebly, but didn’t resist.

“Wh-what are you doing to him?” Ralof asked nervously. He still had a sob in his voice.

Dinah spat out the last drops of water. “Washing it. Your antlers are filthy and we need to stave off infection... Did you find any yarrow?”

“Out on the meadow” said Ralof.

“Alright” said Dinah. “Gurdo, come with us. We’re gonna get you some yarrow.”

“Huh... What do I want that for?” he groaned sleepily.

“It’ll help” she replied simply.

“Yeah, sure, whatever” said Gurdo. He followed Dinah on wobbly legs.

Ralof laughed a little. “At least he’s talking normal again.”

“Shaddup...” said Gurdo.

“And walking too” Dinah added teasingly.

“Shaddup” he repeated. “It’s no thanks to you anyway. I just needed a breather, is all.” The blood ran down his neck and started to soak into his chest. “Damnit... ya coulda killed me, ya know.”

Ralof didn’t say a thing.

The blood ran off Gurdo’s chest and down his legs. His face was bruised and cut all over. And his nose was most likely broken. He looked like a wreck. He watched the dripping blood with a light, nervous smile. “I’m gonna be alright, right?”

She didn’t really know. The wound wasn’t big, but he was losing a lot of blood.. “Probably...” Dinah answered seriously, avoiding his eye.

A mysterious creature was crouched in the forest. It rested at the edge of the meadow, motionless and out of sight, shrouded and breathless. It waited.

The sun peaked out from the horizon. Gurdo was eating yarrow at the meadow’s edge under Dinah’s watchful eye. All the while she was applying the bitter herbs to his wound.

“Waah!” Gurdo complained weakly. “Careful! That hurts...” But diligently she continued staunching his bloody neck. “Ouch...”

“Stof movimg”” she mumbled through a mouthful of yarrow. “I’fe godda stof fis bweeding... Ralof, watder.”

Ralof leaned over with his mouth full of river water and squirted it over the wound. The blood ran thin and washed away, leaving it clean for a split second.

“Hold still” Dinah said as she pressed her mouth against Gurdo’s wet neck, making him wail and bawl uncontrollably like a big kid. He was too weak to resist, so she rubbed it in with all the fury and frustration of a hot doe who just missed out on sex.

Then, taking a step back, she examined it. A thin layer of green was pasted over the area. Blood still trickled out, but it had slowed down noticeably.

“D-did it work?” asked Ralof.

“Mmm, sort of” Dinah replied uneasily.

Gurdo panted hard, tears in his eyes. “...Huh... what... do ya mean... ‘sort of’?”

“It’s hard to tell” said Dinah. “We’ll have to wait and see. But for now, keep eating that yarrow.”

With a disgusted grimace, Gurdo bent down to eat more of those bitter herbs. “Ya got somethin’ on ya face, by the way...”

“Oh!” said Ralof, a little uncomfortable. “Yes... Dear, you’ve got, uh...”

“Blood, I know” Dinah said discontentedly. “I’ll be right back.” She trotted off to the middle of the meadow, to the little pond. There she washed her face and her mouth.

 _“What a day”_ Dinah thought to herself while admiring the pool’s pretty reflections. _“So, Gurdo showed up after all. What an idiot... Still, maybe he’s finally learned his lesson.”_

She took a long drink. Then as she raised her head she smelled something. It was like acid in her nostrils. Over by the pines on the south side, where the meadow meets the trees. In the shadow of a yew. There was a mysterious creature. It held a stick of sorts in its huge hands, pointed straight at her.

Dinah had no time to react. She jumped from fright, then the thunder crashed. Something tiny - and travelling extremely fast - whizzed past her ear.

Dinah dove into the nearby tall grass. She saw Ralof and Gurdo stood over on the east side. “Run!” she shouted from cover. “Don’t just stand there, run!”

The thunder crashed again. She was right in the middle of the open meadow. Her nearest exit was a 10, maybe 20 second sprint, out in the open, with the thunder-stick trained on her. Could she make it?

She glanced around again. Ralof was gone, running back into the thicket. But Gurdo just stood there like a dumb rock, frozen stiff. “Run!! Run, you big freak!!” she barked. Still he didn’t move. He was done for.

Another thunderclap, and the tree behind Gurdo shattered into a few splinters of wood. She felt hot panic coursing through her veins. “Run!!” No response. He was done for.

Then, from out of the dark woods, she spotted Ralof. He ran boldly to Gurdo’s side and nudged him powerfully with his antlers. All of a sudden, Gurdo seemed to snap out of it. They looked at each other. Then, they disappeared into the forest.

The thunder stopped. Dinah heard the faint crunch of dry grass from His direction. He was walking into the heart of the meadow. The magpies chattered clamorously at the meadow’s edge, excited and terrified. The hares were gone by now, having fled the scene at the first sign of danger. The songbirds and mice disappeared into their hiding places. There was no one else. Just Dinah and Him.


	35. Pity

Ralof hurried through the thicket, followed closely by a staggering Gurdo. They moved quickly, but Gurdo was clearly struggling to keep pace.

“Keep moving” Ralof commanded him. “We’ve gotta put as much distance between us and Him as possible.”

“I... Dinah” said Gurdo, hardly a breath of energy in his voice.

“What?” Ralof asked coldly.

Gurdo slackened pace and gasped for air, swaying about like a newborn. He was getting dizzy.

Ralof slowed down with him. “Come on. Keep moving. We’ve gotta lose Him.”

“But Dinah...” Gurdo complained. “She’s... huff...”

With a stiff smile, Ralof shook his head saying “Don’t worry about her. She can handle herself better than we can. Now move it.” He nudged him.

“Ugh... why are... where are we going?” Gurdo groaned, catching his breath. They slowed down to a walk.

“I’m taking you” said Ralof, “to The Old Prince. He’ll know how to stop the bleeding.”

Gurdo scoffed at him, leering out of his beaten-up face. “Give it a rest. I’m... ugh... fine. And why should I even trust you? After what ya did to me.”

“Look, I didn’t mean to take it that far” said Ralof. “I wasn’t even supposed to fight you in the first place...”

Gurdo looked at him puzzled. “Wait, no no no. I’m not talking about this little scratch” he said, gesturing to his bloody neck. “I’m talking about how ya ruined my reputation.”

“What?!” Ralof exclaimed, bewildered and a little amused. “Wha... what are you talking about now?”

“Don’t play with me” said Gurdo, now walking beside him. “Damn brat. Ya really had it in for me.”

“Hang on, hang on...” said Ralof. “I thought this was about _Dinah_.”

“I told you already, this has nothing to do with her...” Gurdo growled.

“Then what _is_ it about?” asked Ralof.

“You humiliated me!”

“When?!”

“Last Winter! You had the chutzpah to raise your voice at me. _Me!_ And I was stupid enough to be intimidated by you.”

Ralof laughed a little incredulously. “You’ve gotta be kidding me...”

“It’s not funny!” Gurdo whined. “The birds told everyone! People don’t take me seriously anymore... It sucks...” He was moping like a spoiled child, kicking twigs and small rocks as he went.

Ralof looked at him differently now. His old feelings of anger and a fearful respect were conflicted by a new feeling: pity. He didn’t know whether to mock him or to feel sorry.

“Still” said Ralof, smiling wryly. “Look on the bright side.”

“What bright side?!” Gurdo cried.

“Both Bambi and Dinah seem to think you’re worth saving. Heck, I’m only helping you because she wouldn’t forgive me if I let you die.”

A thin, wobbly smile appeared on Gurdo’s bruised mouth. “Oh, how charming” he said, sarcastic but also a little lighthearted. Then his eyes seemed to glint. “Did Bambi really say that about me?”

“Yep” said Ralof, plainly and without much thought. “He said you deserved a chance to ‘redeem yourself’, or something like that...”

For the first time, Gurdo had no retort. He said nothing more, apparently thinking to himself.

They continued. ‘Drip.......drip.......drip’, blood fell onto the forest floor as they went.

Meanwhile out on the meadow, Dinah was hiding. He was on the other side of the tall grass, only a stone’s throw away. The smell of He always invokes terror among the forest creatures, and Dinah’s senses were overwhelmed by it. There was no escaping His presence.

Her instincts told her to burst out from cover and run like mad, but she knew better. The grass rustled, but Dinah stayed put. Anyone else would’ve lost their nerve and made a run for it by now, and He would have made short work of them with the thunder-stick.

She clutched at her fading intelligent thoughts, doing everything she could to not panic. The grass rustled, and she caught a glimpse of His pale, ghastly features. His powerful hands. The thunder-stick. His horrible face. Those eyes, the colour of the daytime sky, yet somehow so cold and unforgiving and predatory. Dinah’s heart lurched up into her throat at the sight of Him. She fought harder to control herself, to stay hidden and silent in the tall grass.

He didn’t seem to notice her as He stomped his way past, through the meadow and to the tree line. Then He stopped. He crouched down to inspect the ground, where it was speckled with blood.

“No, no, no...” she whispered. “Oh, please no.”

The blood spots were few and far between. But to a hunter’s keen eyes, they formed a breadcrumb trail. He let out a quiet yet triumphant, evil laugh. Then, still crouched, He stalked his way into the woods.

Dinah understood only by degrees that they were all headed toward Bambi’s neck of the woods. Ralof and Gurdo were leading Him straight to Bambi.


	36. Our Job

“Bambi! Bambi!” Ralof shouted into the empty forest.

He’d been calling for nearly half an hour, all the while dragging Gurdo from place to place around the north west woods, doing everything in his power to keep him on his feet.

It was something he learned from Bambi - don’t rest until the bleeding stops. Or rather, it was a crude, simplistic version of what Bambi had tried to teach him, ignoring the many nuances and intricacies of forest lore that Ralof simply couldn’t wrap his head around.

But Dinah’s work did its magic. The bleeding slowed and Gurdo’s head returned to normal.

“Give it a rest” said Gurdo, carefully lying down at the foot of a young maple. “I’m fine, so just take it easy, will ya?...... Givin’ me a headache...”

He was far too proud to follow orders without at least putting on a ‘tough guy’ act. But even he knew it was pointless. He knew that at the end of the day, tough guy or not, he was being bossed around, plain and simple. Gurdo swallowed his pride.

“Bambi!” Ralof called out again. He looked back to Gurdo. “Get up. You’ve gotta stay on your feet.”

“Ugh, why?” asked Gurdo. “I’m fine! Why can’t ya just gimme a minute?”

Ralof hesitated. He didn’t know. “Because... That’s what Bambi taught me” he said glibly.

Gurdo relaxed into a more comfortable pose, mumbling “Heh, yeah right. You’re no Dinah...”

...

After the encounter out on the meadow, Dinah ran straight to Bambi’s neighbourhood. She knew exactly where to find him, and it didn’t take her long to explain everything.

She explained the whole story in quick succession, going over every important detail. Bambi nodded his head with understanding through the whole thing, not saying a word.

When she finished, Dinah asked “What do we do?”

Bambi frowned a little, somewhat belligerently. For a long moment he seemed to be thinking. “.......Leave him.”

“What?”

“I said you need to leave him” he repeated. “You say He’s tracking Gurdo. Yes? And that when Ralof and Gurdo get here, He’ll be right behind them.”

“Y-y-yes! But...”

The frown deepened on Bambi’s face. “And Gurdo can’t run.”

“No...”

With a long, laboured sigh, Bambi shook his head. “Take Ralof and find somewhere safe. Gurdo will only be a danger to you - leave him.”

“No!” cried Dinah. “How could you say that?! You’re supposed to be The Old Prince! The great prince of the forest! And you’re turning your back on us.”

He grinned sheepishly, jokingly. “What do you want me to do?” he asked. “Come along and carry him to safety? Gurdo will have to stop and rest sooner or later, and when that happens, He will catch up to him and kill him. If you and Ralof are there, then He will kill you too.”

Dinah tried to say something, but stopped when she very faintly heard Ralof’s distant voice.

Bambi ignored the call and started walking away. “Let it go. Save yourself.”

“He’ll die!” cried Dinah, running after him. “Doesn’t that bother you?! Huh? The Old Prince, turning his back on a poor creature in need?”

He stopped and shot her a fierce glare. “Let it go, Dinah. I mean it.”

She kept on pushing. “You taught me, Bambi! You taught me the forest lore so that I could help people. Just like you! But then He shows His face, and suddenly you’re too scared?! That’s not like you.”

“You know, Dinah” said Bambi, growing angrier. “You really do think too much of me... No one in the forest can stand up to Him, and you know that just as well as I do. So for once and for all, let it go.”

“No!” she said with an excitable grin. “Don’t you remember the first thing you taught me? You taught me that He isn’t all-powerful. He isn’t invincible. We can beat Him. I know we can.”

The fire in her eyes seemed to flare up powerfully in that moment, but Bambi was too busy walking to notice.

He laughed out loud incredulously. “Listen to yourself! This is crazy! You don’t even like Gurdo! In fact, you despise him! So why do you insist on helping him? Against all odds?”

She backed off a step, looking hurt. “Because that’s our job, isn’t it? Protecting the forest, and everyone in it?”

Bambi was left speechless. “ _Our job?_ ” he thought to himself. Then he saw it written all over Dinah’s face. Fierce eyes. A purposeful frown. A faintly quivering lip. Ears facing him without the least self-awareness. She wasn’t backing down without a fight. Why? Because she felt responsible. Responsible for Gurdo. Responsible for the forest. She was taking on the burdens of The Old Prince. And that was something he never expected to happen.

“You know, you continue to surprise me” Bambi said at last, bowing his head.

Dinah stayed quiet. She knew Bambi was thinking.

He went on. “But Dinah... this isn’t your job. You aren’t The Old Prince. I am. And I’m telling you, it’s impossible. So don’t throw your life away.”

She watched him walk away without so much as a last glance in her direction, not another sound as he slipped into the shadows of the forest and vanished.


	37. Leading the Monster

Gurdo heard the sound of hoofbeats. He lifted his head to see Dinah running towards them.

She came to a stop all flustered and out of breath. “Ralof! Ra... Ralof! We... huff...”

Ralof was overjoyed. Without saying anything he ran to her and nuzzled her neck. But she seemed to flinch back away from his touch. “What’s wrong, dearest? Did He give you any trouble?” he asked.

“Listen” said Dinah, agitated and very frantic, almost crying. “We need to leave. Now. Gurdo, get up, we’re leaving.”

When he didn’t respond she gave him her famous, fiery glare. “Fine, fine, alright... Take it easy, will ya?” said Gurdo, struggling to his feet. “Up, down, up, down. Do this, Gurdo. Do that, Gurdo! Can’t I just have a minute?”

“Where’s Bambi?” asked Ralof. “We’ve been looking for him for so long. This is where he lives, right?”

Dinah snapped at him hotly, saying “Forget Bambi. Bambi’s not coming. Follow-“ She froze. She saw Him over on the other side of the little clearing.

Naturally, her first reaction was to run. As always, her head was swimming from the panic. But as she absorbed the details of His pale face, she recognised Him.

“Gurdo, Ralof” she whispered, almost casually, yet with a chilling note that grabbed their attention. “Listen very carefully. What I’m about to say... will frighten you. But you must do exactly as I tell you.” Her voice turned the command into more of a question as she looked between the two for an answer.

After an awkward pause, they nodded. “Yeah, of course” said Ralof.

“No matter what happens, I need you two to stick together. Don’t run off. Don’t lose your head. OK?” She took a deep breath. “Now....... He is over there.”

They both turned around and exploded into a panic.

“Run!” cried Ralof, leaping for the thicket, scrabbling for cover.

Gurdo followed him, staggering all the way. “Wait! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me!” he whined. They ran out of sight.

But Dinah didn’t make a move to run away. She had an idea. She took in huge, shaky breaths of air. She had to remain under control.

As usual, the mere sight of Him made her heart pound. But the look He returned to her wasn’t the look of a cold-blooded hunter. He was staring. He blinked in wonder.

Dinah felt reassured. She knew it wasn’t the hunter - not the same He that was tracking Gurdo. It was someone else. He wore simple brown clothing. He carried no thunder-stick. She recognised Him as the brown He.

Dinah took several small steps towards Him and, after building courage, found her voice. “...Please. Help us” she called out quietly.

The brown He made an odd grumbling noise. He shifted His weight and stepped out from the bushes, His huge hands gripping the stem of a rowan. “Easy, sweetie. I won’t hurt you” He said gently. “I won’t hurt you.”

To Dinah, it was just noise, like the hideous growling of a lion. It frightened her. “Please, help us” she repeated.

He took another careful step towards her, and she too approached closer. Now they were barely 10 metres apart - far too close for comfort.

“Please help us!”

The brown He froze in place. “Woah, easy there. Easy.” Then he looked closer, searching her dark eyes for signs of intelligence. What He saw confused Him. “Say, what the hell’s got into you, sweetie?”

Dinah jumped and kicked out with her hooves, and darted away from Him. “Please! Help us! This way!”

“What on Earth... What-“ whispered the brown He, before being cut off again.

“-This way! This way!” Dinah cried out, leading Him through the woods.

“What are you trying to tell me, girlie?” Then something clicked, and he stopped and looked off to the south east. “The gunshots... Are you showing me the way?”

Dinah sensed that He understood. There was something about the thinly veiled anger and surprise in His voice. It confirmed her suspicions.

“Are you showing me the way to that no-good poacher?” He whispered, stomping his way after her.

When she knew she was being followed, Dinah led Him without another word. Her mind was totally numb with anxiety - her only respite was to focus on following the blood trail. Just looking back to Him, to check that He was still following, left her overwhelmed with fear. She could never get used to His monstrous face.

“ _Focus_ ” she thought to herself. With a calm mind she would be able to observe every little thing around her; even the sound of a butterfly’s wing beats wouldn’t be able steal through her sharp hearing. But being so near to Him left her breathless and disoriented.

Dinah lowered herself into a trance, the way Bambi taught her. She tuned out to the brown He. She ignored His loud, crashing footsteps behind her, focusing only on the open high forest ahead.

She heard no trace of the poacher. His scent was hidden and He made no noise. But Dinah knew He was there. “ _He’s good_ ” she thought, grinning sardonically. “ _He’s very good. But even He can’t hide from me._ ”

She heard wood mice scurrying about, under the cover of some holly shrubs, a little more frightened than usual. She was sure that the fox wasn’t around, neither the owl or the weasel. They were running away from the poacher.

“Gotcha” she whispered. She saw him crouched beneath the holly, clutching the thunder-stick with bated breath, not daring to make a sound. He must’ve noticed her, yet He stayed put. She knew that He was afraid. He was as scared as the mice. Scared of the brown He.


	38. The Poacher

“Are you showing me the way to that no-good poacher?” whispered Siegmund as he followed the doe.

She appeared quite unexpectedly to him. He couldn’t decide what it was, but there was something definitely unusual about her. And he had this absurd feeling that she would lead him to the poacher. A poacher in his forest. As gamekeeper, it was his job to deal with poachers. And he learned the hard way that more guns equals more danger, so he left his at home. The best way to deal with poachers is with words.

“What are you doing, girlie?” Siegmund asked almost mirthfully. “Where is he?” He trampled out of the thicket and looked around. The doe was on the other side of a large holly shrub.

Then he saw him. The poacher was crouched in the holly, a rifle gripped tightly in his hands.

Siegmund remained calm. “Get out of there” he commanded, hands on his hips. No response. “Get out of there right now. Come on, I’m not going to arrest you. I just want to chat.”

Holly leaves scratched and squeaked as the poacher made a sudden, threatening movement, brandishing his rifle from out of the bushes.

“Come now” said Siegmund, scratching his beard. “We can talk this out, no need for violence or the police. Come, let’s see if we can sort this out, eh?”

A moment of silence. Then the poacher crawled out from the holly and got to his feet, being sure to cover his face with the brim of his hat. He was shorter than Siegmund by nearly a foot and quite skinny.

Siegmund offered up a friendly though patronising smile. “Good. Now, would you mind telling me what the hell you’re doing in my forest?” he asked firmly.

The poacher couldn’t find his words. After a breath of stuttering, he said in a high, impertinent voice “I-I’m hunting deer.”

“I can see that. Now tell me, didn’t I already warn you not to come ‘round here again?”

The poacher said nothing but smirked. He played with the gun in his hands, turning it over and making a show of inspecting the old metal barrel.

“Did you kill any? Huh?” asked Siegmund, getting in his face.

“No!” whined the poacher, as if he were a schoolboy in trouble.

Siegmund snorted impatiently. “This is your final warning, boy. If I catch you here again, I won’t be happy. Do you understand me?”

The poacher said nothing still, but Siegmund could tell he was enraged and more than slightly embarrassed.

“Do you understand me?” he repeated.

A long pause. The poacher remained quiet and still, as if preparing to pounce. His grip stiffened for a heartbeat, then brought the gun level with the gamekeeper’s abdomen, shaky but threatening.

Siegmund didn’t like that. With a quick step he was right in the poacher’s face, grabbing the rifle and twisting it aside. Siegmund’s powerful arms wrestled the rifle out of his hands with ease. Then with a single, violent swing, Siegmund smashed his elbow across the poacher’s face.

The poacher fell to the ground, covering his face with his hands. Blood ran down his mouth and off his chin. He wailed pathetically, saying “Ah! I think you broke my nose! My nose! You lousy bastard! You lousy bastard!” For a moment he just sat there, bloody and stupid, moaning like a child. His hands were red and tears ran down his eyes.

All the while Siegmund watched the poacher with pity. One meaty hand gripped the rifle, the other rubbed the back of his neck in grief. “Oh, boy...” he said. “Why’d you have to go pointing a gun at me like that?”

Then he caught a glimpse of the doe. She was stood way off to one side, her dark eyes curiously intent on him. There was something about her. He could’ve sworn he saw a flicker of intelligence in those eyes. Some comprehension of what was going on here. Understanding.

“Come on” said Siegmund, helping the poacher to his feet. “Up you get, lad. I’ll take you back to your father...”

He turned to catch a last glance at the doe. But she was gone, slipped back into the shadows of the forest. Vanished.

”Huh...” said Siegmund, cocking his brow. “Weird...”


	39. Nothing At All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very nearly at the end of the story. Just a few more loose ends to tie, and maybe an epilogue, then it’ll be there.

When Dinah felt confused, there were three likely outcomes:  
1\. Ask Bambi for his advice  
2\. Talk about it with Ralof first, rethink it and then ask Bambi for his advice  
3\. Wander the woods alone

Dinah was wandering the woods alone. She had no idea where anyone was, and she didn’t really want to see Bambi right now anyway. So alone she wandered.

She walked about quite aimlessly, not giving much thought to where she was going, but thinking about Him. The poacher was hunting in the brown He’s territory - more or less - and the brown He drove Him off. That much she could understand.

Thinking about the brown He left her more confused than anything else. He was a killer, but not always. Sometimes He came to the forest to hunt, carrying the thunder-stick, and then He was the most cunning and deadly hunter of all. But sometimes He came to the forest in peace. Why? Why would such a wicked creature do that? Unless He isn’t really wicked. Not entirely.

Dinah felt a certain greyness to His nature. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Capable of anything. She came to the conclusion that He wasn’t exactly good, but He wasn’t entirely wicked either. “Sheesh” she said to herself. “I’m starting to sound like Gobo...”

Dinah heard someone moving around at the edge of the meadow. They were hiding among the bracken, the violets and the wood vetch.

“Hello?” asked Dinah. “Is anyone there?”

“Only me” came a voice, small but pleasant. An old, grey hare hopped out from the cover, looking all around, ears twitching nervously. “I-Is it safe?” he said, looking up at Dinah out of big, timid eyes.

Dinah gave him a kind smile. “Yes, He’s gone, friend hare. There’s no need to hide any longer.”

The old hare’s mouth and nose quivered. “Oh, thank goodness...” he said, now resting on his haunches and making clear he felt at ease. “I’ve been hiding here for at least an hour... Did you see Him, Dinah? Did you see Him?” asked the old hare, twitching his mouth and nose at her.

“Yes” Dinah nodded amiably, calmly. “Yes, I saw Him.”

The old hare bristled, asking in a small voice “Was anyone?....” Then something caught his attention. He raised up on to his hind feet and stood straight, ears stiff. He snuffed the air.

“Um... no, no one was killed” she mumbled, not sure if he was listening.

Then, as if nothing had happened, his ears drooped and he slumped back on to all four feet again. “By the way, have you seen the fox around?” he asked.

“No” said Dinah. “There’s no sign of him anywhere around here...”

An uncomfortable silence. The hare made no move to leave and they exchanged awkward glances in the passing silence.

Dinah looked at him curiously since he was acting strange. “Excuse me, but is something the matter, friend hare?”

“Oh, nothing, ma’am. Nothing at all” he said. The mild features of his face formed a content, admiring stare.

 _“Ma’am?”_ Dinah thought to herself, pulling a bemused grin. She wasn’t sure what he meant by that - after all, the good old hare was more than twice her age, and well-known for being so suave and prudent. So why was he calling her ‘ma’am’? Was he joking?

“Well” said the old hare. “Now I know it’s safe, I’d better be off.” He stopped for a moment, watching her, waiting patiently for a response. When nothing was forthcoming, he hopped away. “Thank you” he whispered.

 _“Ma’am?”_ That’s not a word you just throw around. And yet the old hare said it like it was nothing at all.

“Friend hare?” Dinah called out, and he stopped to face her again. “Friend hare, have you seen Ralof? Or Gurdo, anywhere?”

The old hare grinned. “As a matter of fact, I saw them not long ago. Seemed to be heading back east.”

“How was he?” she asked.

“Who, Gurdo?”

Dinah nodded seriously.

He gave her a slight sideways glance. “...He wasn’t on his death bed, if that’s what you’re asking. A few nasty fighting wounds as far as I could tell, nothing too serious.”

Dinah sighed with relief. Friend hare didn’t even notice the neck wound. That means the bleeding had stopped. And if Gurdo was still walking, then he was going to be alright.

Dinah thanked the old hare and headed back home. As she entered the young oak thicket on the farther side, she heard their voices. They were talking.

She quieted herself and drew closer. She couldn’t make out the words. But something struck her. They were talking? Just talking. In fact, they were chatting.

She drew closer until she saw them lied down in a tiny, leafy glade... chatting. They weren’t being particularly friendly. In fact Gurdo was being his usual unmannerly self. Yet they seemed to be in good humour. Gurdo smiled his usual greasy smile, but she detected a peculiarly benign force behind his eyes.

“Ralof...” she called to him.

They were up in a flash. “Dinah? Dinah, we’re here!” said Ralof as he searched around for her. His cheek and his breast were still tousled and a little bloody from the fight. “Dearest!” he exclaimed. “Why didn’t you follow us?”

Dinah remained coldly quiet as she stepped into the little glade. She looked to Gurdo.

Ralof went on agitated. “Uh, I did what you said, honey. We stuck together and waited here for you.”

Gurdo shrugged, replying with a nonchalant “Meh... I thought maybe I’d stick around with him. Better than the crows for company.”

“Good” said Dinah, barely louder than a whisper, yet she had their full attention. “He is gone. We don’t need to hide anymore. As for you, Gurdo...”

Her look startled him a little. “...What?” he asked.

She said “Let me take a look at you”, and stepped in close to inspect his neck and his face and his body.

He put up no resistance as she impassively examined him all over, eyelids half shut. He noticed then just how tired she looked. She was just as worn out as him.

Dinah gave him a little push with her shoulder and, seeing he had no difficulty staying on his feet, gave a little sigh. “You’re fine. Not bleeding out anymore, that’s for sure.”

“See?” he said to Ralof. “Told ya I was fine...” He turned back to Dinah with a naive grin. “So I can go now, right?”

Dinah laughed weakly. “Are you asking me for permission to leave? _You?_ ”

“What?!” he exclaimed red-faced. “A-absolutely not! I was just...” His eyes searched her smug face for a moment. He seemed confused. “I don’t need your permission for anything, got it?”

“Hey” Ralof interrupted hotly. “You don’t talk to her like that. It’s bad enough you talk to everyone like that, but not to her. Not after what she just did for you.”

“Take it easy, tough guy. I don’t need lectures from you” said Gurdo. Then he paused and his spiteful frown disappeared, replaced instead with a warm, serious little smile. “.......But I am grateful.”

“Go home, Gurdo” Dinah said to him. “Go home to your family.”

Gurdo said nothing more. He walked away with his head held low.

Ralof came to Dinah’s side and kissed her cheek and her neck. “What a guy... not even a thank you...” he said sourly.

“He’s proud” said Dinah, eyes still very sleepy. She yawned. “But I don’t think he’s such a bad guy, after all.”

Ralof hesitated for a second, then sighed with quieted anger. “...I guess not.” He then nudged her and said “Hey, what did you mean by ‘family’? You never told me he had a family.”

“...Let’s not talk about him. I’m tired” she said at last, looking up to him sweetly. “Oh, your face...”

He smirked. “Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t hurt so bad.” His cheek bore a long, red patch of tousled hair from just below the eye right down to the jaw. It added a certain fierceness to his wide, playful smile, yet in no way detracted from his warmth and character. “Just another little scar” he said boyishly.

They walked home.


	40. Dinah and the Forest

The days were slowly becoming milder and shorter. The long, hot Summer was finally showing its first signs of weakness as it waned into Autumn.

No one had seen or heard from Him since the incident ten days ago. Not even a trace or a whisper. The whole forest rejoiced in their good fortune. Newly fledged birds flooded the woods in droves, chirping, dancing, singing and spreading word of what happened on that fateful day.

It was dawn, just as the sky began to brighten in the far, far east, and Dinah and Ralof were together again in the oak thicket.

“Everyone in the north and the east woods is talking about you” said Ralof. “Gossiping about what happened. I heard one rumour about how you ‘chased Him off’, or something like that.”

She replied with a distant “uhuh...”

“You know some people are calling you _Lady_ Dinah now? _Lady?!_ Isn’t that just completely ridiculous? I wonder what Bambi thinks about that.”

“Uhuh...”

“Have you seen Bambi lately, dear? I’ll bet he’s proud of what you did. You should go see him sometime before Winter comes.”

“Yes dear, I know...” she sighed wearily.

Ralof gave her a nudge. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? You look down.”

“Actually, I already saw Bambi a few days ago” said Dinah. “He came to visit me. And he wanted to talk about something important.”

“Oh yeah? About what?”

“First of all, he wanted to know how on earth I managed to get rid of Him.”

“Well gee, Dinah” he laughed. “ _Everyone_ wants to know how you did it! You still haven’t told _me_ yet...”

“If I told you, you’d call me crazy” said Dinah, a little teasingly but also guarded.

“Aww, come on. You can tell me” he said sweetly. “You can tell me anything. You told Bambi, didn’t you?”

She bit her lip uneasily. “Alright... I asked the brown He for help. And He helped.”

“...You’re serious? You... _talked_ to Him? Nobody _talks_ to Him! He doesn’t understand a word.”

“I know it doesn’t make sense” she said eagerly. “But I’m telling you, He understood me. Maybe He doesn’t speak the same way we do, but...”

Ralof was staring at her nonplussed. It was a little off-putting.

She continued. “And... and the brown He chased Him away, and... Oh, never mind, dear. Forget I said anything...”

He shook his head, clearing away the confusion and letting loose a huge, surrendering sigh. “OK... So, what else did Bambi wanna talk about?”

“Oh, uhh... about that...”

“Dear?” he urged.

Her voice wavered as she said slowly “What Bambi really wanted to talk about was... my role in the forest. Bambi has asked me to watch over the east woods.”

Ralof blinked hard. “Uh... what? What does that mean?”

“It means” said Dinah, “that he’s leaving the east woods to me. Everything from the east meadow to the great fir woods, and beyond a little ways... is my responsibility. He wants me to keep an eye on things there.”

He stared at her wondrously, adoringly, saying “Oh, that’s just swell, Dinah! He must really have faith in you.”

“Yes, yes” said Dinah, not even the barest hint of pride or satisfaction on her tired face. “It’s because he’s going to be very busy for a while, teaching his son. And since I’m kind of well-known over there...”

“Well, you don’t look all that excited” said Ralof. “Come on, this is marvellous! You should be happy! Honestly, I couldn’t think of anyone better suited to help Bambi.”

No reply. She stared at the ground gloomily.

“Seriously, what’s wrong?!” he exclaimed.

“.......I need to be alone...” she said finally.

Ralof straightened up to look at her, catching her eye. “What do you mean?”

“I just need to be with myself for a little while. Just me.”

“Wait, wait” said Ralof, sneering. “This is because you’re going to be busy watching the east woods, isn’t it? What, you can’t do that and live with me at the same time?”

“It’s not just that” said Dinah. “I also need some time alone to figure out a few things...”

“Wh-wha-? Like what?” cried Ralof.

She hesitated. “Bambi lives alone. Every one of The Old Princes, going back generations, has opted for a life of seclusion, away from people. There’s got to be a reason why. And I need to find that out for myself... It’s my final lesson...”

“But what about us?” he asked meekly.

Dinah fixed him sternly, yet her eyes became misty as soon as she saw his sad face.

He kissed her mouth and whispered mournfully in her ear. “Don’t you love me?” he asked in a small voice.

A single, sorrowful tear pooled in the corner of Dinah’s eye and, in a blink, fell down her face. “Of course I do.”

“Then why are you disappearing into the forest without me?”

She showered his face and his neck with tender kisses, trying desperately to not cry. “Ralof, my sweet, gentle, _molto bello_... I will love you forever. But this is something I have to do.”

There was no convincing her now. He let his head hang in defeat. “...When will I see you again?”

“One day soon” she answered. After one final kiss, and one final glance back to him, she vanished from sight. Dinah went off by herself, leaving Ralof alone in the oak thicket, awestruck, mystified and completely bewildered.

...

Dinah stood perfectly still in the pale grey dawn. Her head was as clear as ever before. All at once she felt every pleasant sensation of the forest returning to her. The dewy grass. The sharp rustling of leaves. The wonderfully mild smell of the trees and the meadow. Every song and conversation of the birds and buzzing insects. The jay cackling happily. The squirrels barking. The finches beeping. All the world seemed to sing to her again with old melodies that nevertheless felt fresh and new.

Now Dinah took in the forest with her eyes. Tall pines swayed about in the wind. Looking directly up, their green crowns seemed to teeter and dance between each other in curious coordination, like ladies and gentlemen at a ball. And the first sight of golden sycamore leaves delighted her.

She absorbed the forest, looking, listening and smelling every detail. Feeling everything. And feeling freer than ever before. There was nothing else in the entire world. Only Dinah and the forest.  
  


THE END

  
  


...

EPILOGUE

  
The little thing staggered about on his four skinny legs. He looked all around at the many interesting things on the forest floor, and up to the amazing pinpricks of light that shone through the leaves and dazzled him.

Beneath his hooves were countless insects going about in their tiny, bustling communities, sometimes scurrying for cover or suddenly taking wing and flying away.

The early Summer wind was pleasantly cool and carried with it the smell of the forest - primrose, rush grass, old moss, fallen leaves, pine needles - many, many strange odours he didn’t understand.

At times he would meet someone new, like a mouse or a squirrel or a may beetle. Then he would cast a questioning glance and ask in a babyish voice “Mother, who is that?”

These were the earliest days of Vito’s life. He followed behind his mother for hours, always deeply amazed and curious of the world he suddenly found himself in.

His mother was big and beautiful. She led him through hidden trails of the thicket without making a sound, nor meeting any of the dangerous creatures that could threaten her child. Her ears heard everything - not even the fox had the skill to hide from her. And besides, not even the fox had the moxie or the guts to cross her.

Up ahead, through the ancient tangled thicket, was another deer - a stranger. The stranger remained motionless as they approached.

Vito noticed the stranger. For a moment he was frightened, for the stranger was so tall and scary to look at. Then, he became more curious.

The stranger was big like his mother, but he had a wild crown of antlers. His handsome face was rugged and lightly scarred with the wounds of battle, but handsome nonetheless. He gazed down at Vito kindly, still not saying a word until Vito and his mother were very close.

“Mother?” asked Vito, nervously looking up to her. “Who is that?”

His mother was staring at the stranger. Though her face was impassive, her eyes were joyous and familiar. Then she tore her gaze away from the stranger and smiled lovingly at Vito, saying “Don’t be frightened, dear. He won’t hurt you.” She licked the top of his head to soothe him.

“But who is it, mother? Who is he?”

“That’s Prince Ralof” she said. “Your father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that’s the end. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for taking the time to read this story, I really appreciate it. And a BIG thank you to the people who kept coming back to read new chapters as they were submitted - you guys are awesome.
> 
> This has been a wonderful wild ride. And hey, maybe there’ll be more stories in the future. But for now, I need a lie down and a drink. Bye!


End file.
